Hynes, Quinn battle tit-for-tat for governor

The tit-for-tat continues between the main Democrats running for governor.

The first salvo came with Dan Hynes claiming Gov. Pat Quinn wanted to raise taxes on "all Illinois families."

That's partially true because while Quinn's original plan would have granted tax relief to lower and middle-class families, Quinn at one point during budget negotiations dropped the tripling of deductions that would have spared middle-class families a tax hike.

Quinn's tax plan never passed, but for at least part of the legislative season, Hynes charge was true.

Quinn responded this past weekend with an advertisement about Hynes that was also partially true. It said Hynes had been at a "spa" and on a trip to Washington, D.C., during the budget battle.

Quinn's campaign cited copies of Hynes internal schedule which did indeed show him spending half-hour sessions at the "Tou Jours Spa."

That's Hynes' barber.

Was either ad fair?

Quinn's campaign manager John Kamis offered to drop their negative ad if Hynes would drop his.

"Upon his pledge to pull his latest attack ad, we will pull our response ad from the air and will devote all future TV advertising to Governor Quinn's record and his plans for moving Illinois forward," Kamis wrote.

Hynes spokesman Matt McGrath responded, "Two days after launching an embarrassingly absurd attack ad that continues to draw derision from outside observers, the Quinn campaign wants a way out. No thanks."

Tuesday night, Hynes' campaign fired off a press release accusing Quinn of hypocrisy for releasing an ad criticizing Hynes for taking a trip to D.C. then boarding a plane to D.C. himself for a fund-raiser and a meeting with legislators from Illinois.

On Tuesday, Sen. Dick Durbin's office released a notice for a Quinn meeting in Washington, D.C., Wednesday regarding federal funding for Illinois projects. It offered reporters an "opportunity for b-roll and spray." That's a term used mostly for national press meaning camera footage but no questions. In this case, Quinn and Durbin will take questions after the spray.

Hynes' campaign shortly released a notice that their candidate will be holding an economic roundtable with small business owners in Chicago Wednesday that will offer "B-roll spray" and a press availability afterward.