Illinois Republican Party

Questions of Resume Padding, Residency Take Center Stage in Closing Week of DEM Primary
2/4/2008

Illinois GOP Joins Democrat Jay Footlik in Calling on Dan Seals to 'Get His Facts Straight'

CHICAGO – Dan Seals, bidding for a rematch with U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park), still does not live in the district he seeks to represent, cannot vote for himself in his primary race against Jay Footlik and now faces serious integrity questions -- just one day before Democratic primary voters cast their ballots in Illinois' Tenth Congressional District.

When asked by the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board why he failed to move into the district after losing to Kirk in 2006, Seals responded, "I'm not a millionaire." (Chicago Tribune, December 11, 2007)

Last week, the Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald and Pioneer Press reported that Seals padded his resume in his official campaign biography. While his Web site describes Seals as a current "Adjunct Professor" at Northwestern University, Seals has yet to teach a class. He is scheduled to be an instructor for only 10 class sessions at the Northwestern Night School of Continuing Studies for Adult Education starting in April.

"We join with Jay Footlik in calling on Dan Seals to stop misleading voters," said ILGOP Spokesperson Lance Trover. "Seals misled primary voters by falsely identifying himself as a "Northwestern Professor." Seals is unwilling to disclose his mystery list of clients and may not actually be a business consultant. The fellowship he supposedly held did not exist until 2003. And to top it all off, Seals cannot even vote for himself tomorrow because he still does not live in the district."

During his editorial board meeting with the Chicago Tribune, Seals was asked about his claim of being a "business consultant" and could not produce a list of clients.

Additionally, Seals' Web site includes a long-time claim of being a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) that is also misleading. The PMF program was founded in 2003 under an Executive Order issued by President Bush. Seals may have served as a Presidential Management Intern, a now defunct program, but could never have served as a PMF.

"Dan Seals likes to talk a lot about change -- he sure knows how to change his resume but he can't seem to figure out how to change his address," Trover said. "Residents of the Tenth Congressional District deserve straight answers to easy questions about a candidate's resume, residency and professional achievements."

from Illinois Republican Party Press Release

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