Raja Blasts Miller for "Insider Tactics" Meant to Deny Voters a Chance for Change

From the Campaign Office of Raja Krishnamoorthi for Comptroller
November 9, 2009

Former Deputy Illinois Treasurer Raja (RA-ja) Krishnamoorthi (krish-nuh-MOOR-thee) today blasted State Rep. David Miller and one of Miller's Facebook supporters for challenging Krishnamoorthi’s petitions of candidacy for Illinois State Comptroller, charging that Miller's campaign was trying to deny Democratic primary voters a progressive alternative to business as usual.

“I’ve been running for this office for months with detailed plans to protect the taxpayers and open up state government to its citizens,” Krishnamoorthi said. “My campaign collected thousands of signatures from voters throughout our state who are tired of business as usual and want to bring real reform and openness to Springfield.”

Krishnamoorthi filed the maximum number of 10,000 nominating petition signatures on October 26 with the Illinois State Board of Elections. More than double the 5,000 signatures required by state law to get on the February primary ballot, the signatures for Krishnamoorthi came from more than 50 counties throughout the state of Illinois.

“The challenge to my petitions is nothing less than harassment and intimidation,” Krishnamoorthi said. “As the endorsed candidate of the Cook County Democratic Organization, Miller's campaign is using heavy-handed insider tactics to limit access to the ballot and deny voters an alternative to the business as usual he represents.”

Krishnamoorthi noted that the name of the challenger to his petitions, Emily Svitak, appears on the social networking site Facebook as a supporter of Miller’s. He called on Miller, in the interest of honesty and transparency, to admit that his campaign is behind the petition challenge and to withdraw its complaint.

“As a longtime state legislator who has voted repeatedly to increase his own salary, David Miller is practiced in the art of insider politics,” Krishnamoorthi said. “His petition challenge is doomed to failure. The voters of Illinois have had enough, and they’re not going to take it anymore.”

Krishnamoorthi served as a Special Assistant Attorney General, helping to establish an anti-corruption unit, and as Deputy Treasurer of Illinois, he helped bring significant reforms to the office and oversaw the custody and administration of billions of dollars in state funds. Previously, Krishnamoorthi served as a board member and audit committee chairman of the Illinois Housing Development Authority where he helped thousands of Illinois families find affordable housing.

If elected, Krishnamoorthi would become the first Asian American to hold elected statewide office in Illinois. A lawyer and policy expert, Krishnamoorthi, 36, worked on President Barack Obama’s successful 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate, serving first as issues director and then as a senior adviser. Krishnamoorthi also advised Obama during his presidential campaign and his 2000 congressional campaign.