Posted on 03/03/2004 7:23:28 PM PST by Kuksool
Illinois' leading women's rights group reversed field Monday and criticized Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Blair Hull for comments following the release of his stormy divorce records late last week.
The Chicago chapter of the National Organization for Women also called on Hull to provide a "clear, emphatic statement" on the issue of domestic violence before the March 16 primary.
But the group's late-coming criticism of Hull raised two issues of its own.
Hull already filled out an extensive questionnaire for the group's state chapter last summer that included four questions on domestic violence. And, Jennifer Koehler, Chicago NOW's president who delivered the Hull criticism, works for Cook County Board Commissioner Mike Quigley, a supporter of Hull opponent Dan Hynes.
Koehler denied any link between the Hull criticism and her boss's favored candidate.
"My day job has nothing to do with my activism," said Koehler, a seven-year board member for the group.
But a Hull spokesman put the blame on Hynes' campaign.
"Our opponents are clearly fueling this story, as Blair invited NOW to meet with him on this issue before (the papers) became public last week," Hull spokesman Jason Erkes said. "This just shows you how powerful the Democratic machine is in Chicago."
Hynes spokeswoman Chris Mather said the Hynes campaign had absolutely nothing to do with NOW's criticism.
The flap comes as Hull is trying to put behind him a tumultuous week involving his divorce records. The records, which he released Friday after newspaper reports and columns about an order of protection filed against him in 1998 by then-wife Brenda Sexton, showed Sexton told police he punched her in the shin and told a judge Hull threatened to kill her and called her profanely derogatory names.
Hull has declined to address the allegations. That, Koehler said, is why she criticized him. She said he was creating the impression that he'd rather discuss "real issues" such as health care.
"Throughout this process, we've been eager to hear from him. For the past week, there's been a deafening silence from him and his campaign," Koehler said. "What has he done to change? That's the piece that's missing out of this personal story."
Erkes pointed to Hull's record of supporting abortion rights groups financially and to his support of Title IX, which ensures equality for women in college sports.
The women's group did not criticize Hull last Friday. Instead, it told female voters to weigh the divorce case against Hull's strong pro-female record.
Criticize: Hull keeping quiet about allegations
Unless your a mafia type.... very painful, keeps the upper body free from marks but gets the point across
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