Mike Frerichs has had some very bad weeks as a candidate, usually self-inflicted by the gaffe-prone career politician. But this week’s trifecta of blunders represents a new level of incompetence. Here is the rundown:

1. Illinois taxpayers were reminded of Frerichs’ support of Governor Pritzker’s tax-hike amendment and advocacy of a tax on retirement income. 
2. Frerichs’ falsely claimed State Rep. Tom Demmer, Republican candidate for State Treasurer, opposed a bill that Demmer had actually supported – a 2016 law requiring life insurance companies to pay death benefits. After conceding that Demmer had in fact supported the final bill, Frerichs tried to save face by claiming the negotiated legislation was weak. Too bad he touted the final bill – supported by Demmer – as a win that closed loopholes and “helps our families.” (HB 4633, Passed 118-0, 5/31/16, Demmer Voted Yea)
3. Frerichs was forced to cancel a fundraiser this week because it violated the state’s ethics law. 

“To recap Frerichs’ week:  ethics challenges, false accusations about his opponent’s record, and his own record of tax hikes. Frerichs is so desperate to distract from his failures as Treasurer that he ran the entire playbook of the corrupt Springfield machine—in just one week,” said ILGOP Spokesman Joe Hackler.

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