Bobby Schilling is already challenging Congresswoman Cheri Bustos for her seat in Congress and now he's challenging her to donate $34,800 or 10% of her salary while in Congress to a veterans charity.
"Well I think that one of the things that's really important for anyone running for an office is that when you make a promise to the people is that you uphold your promise," said Schilling.
The promise he's claiming Bustos made happened during a 2012 interview with the Chicago Tribune, when he says then candidate Bustos was talking about her plan to congressional pay by 10% through a vote. When asked if she would cut her pay regardless of how a vote turns out, she said "Yes," but has failed to do so, according to Schilling.
"Ya know, so this is about holding our officials accountable for promises made and I think it's important that they do that," he said.
In an email, Bustos did not address our questions about Schilling's challenge or the 2012 interview, instead saying in a statement, "I voted for No Budget, No Pay and think it should be permanent. When Bobby Schilling was in Congress, he voted to give tax breaks to corporations shipping Illinois jobs overseas, then walked out of a public meeting with workers whose jobs are now in China. Now he's making a six-figure salary selling American visas to foreign nationals that pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to game the immigration process. When it comes to salaries, Bobby Schilling has a lot to answer for."
If Schilling is elected to Congress and there is a vote to cut pay for Congress, he said "any vote that comes to the house floor to cut members pay I would definitely support, you betcha."
But would he be willing to give up 10% of his pay?
Schilling said, "Uh, no."