Just days after sending a mailer where he claimed he would be taking “the high road,” political appointee Aaron Lawlor attacked his opponent, Kay Hoogland, in a letter to Lake County residents.

Earlier this week, Lawlor had sent a mailer to voters committing to “taking the high road” and avoiding “negative attacks…. That’s just not me” he said.

It was only a matter of days before his campaign committee attacked Hoogland.  Under the name of incumbent GOP politicians the campaign attacks Hoogland’s contributors.

This type of hypocrisy is exactly what Hoogland, a first-time candidate, is running against.  “We can back up every single statement that we have made in our campaign communications,” Hoogland said.  “He cannot say the same thing about his own campaign.”

Although Lawlor accused Hoogland of being bought off by organizations, three out of Hoogland’s four largest contributors are individuals; in fact, over 70% of Hoogland’s contributions are from individuals.   “I was not surprised to see how many Businesses and CEO’s have contributed to him as the incumbent,” Hoogland said.

“Lawlor’s accusations fly in the face of my 25-year career as a lawyer and executive for Tribune Company and Motorola.  My donors include family, friends, $5 mom and pop contributors, small business owners, business professionals, as well as labor and professional organizations.”  All told, Hoogland has had over 120 contributors, and her broad support spans Democrats, Independents, and Republicans.

Hoogland is proud to have received the endorsement and support of the Lake County Federation of Teachers, an organization that represents hundreds of people in our district. “Our schools are one of the things that makes Lake County great, and Lawlor’s back-handed attack on the teachers of our district is just silly,” she said.

Lawlor’s limited work experience is exclusively in political consulting and political positions.  “My opponent does not have the business experience, legal expertise, or maturity to oversee any type of collective bargaining, much less hurl insults at me through political surrogates,” Hoogland observed.  “I guess that’s why his own campaign materials list ‘political consultant’ as topping the list of his work experience.”

Political gamesmanship is not the leadership we deserve during a time of economic distress that affects virtually every household.   “I’ve been walking and riding my bike through our district since May.  Rarely a day goes by that I don’t talk to residents who are facing a personal economic crisis and are tired of politics as usual in Lake County.  Those voters tell me it’s time we elect someone with the business skills and experience to help guide Lake County through this economic crisis and put voters’ interests first,” stated Hoogland.