Rival rips Feigenholtz for being on 'clout lists'

State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz is positioning herself as a progressive Democrat in the race to succeed Rahm Emanuel in Congress representing the North Side of Chicago and some of the west suburbs.

But one of her opponents is making sure voters know Feigenholtz's name appears on two "clout lists" -- lists of people who allegedly secured jobs for friends from then-Secretary of State George Ryan in the 1990s and from then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration.

State Rep. John Fritchey, a rival in the 5th Congressional District race, has been highlighting that connection in calls to voters.

Feigenholtz noted that Fritchey doesn't mention that many elected officials in Illinois -- including Emanuel, who is now President Obama's White House chief of staff -- also found their names on the list for acts as small as writing a letter of recommendation for people who got state jobs. That's what Feigenholtz said landed her on both clout lists.

In 1996, Feigenholtz's name appeared on a list made public in Ryan's corruption trial in which her name was linked to getting Gina Pianetto a job with the Secretary of State. On the Blagojevich list, Feigenholtz's name, misspelled "Sara Fagenholtz," appears next to a notation regarding the hiring of Suzanne Maso as a $40,000-a-year public aid intern in 2003.

Both women were qualified, Feigenholtz said.

"If they want to use all these old-style political tactics to attack me for trying to help other women pursue their dreams and goals, then let them do it," she said.

Fritchey said the criticism is fair.

"I think the lists speak for themselves and very loudly," Fritchey said. "It's one thing to call yourself a reformer, but it's another thing to actually be one. My record with respect to the tenure of George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich has been one of taking them on and trying to clean up state government."