A spokesman for the Illinois Democratic Speaker of the House drew comparisons between Republicans and the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) after being nominated to take the ALS bucket challenge.
A spokesman for Michael Madigan oddly brought ISIL into the equation after Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner challenged Madigan to take the viral ALS ice bucket challenge in a video posted on his Facebook page.
When reached for comment on the challenge, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown asked the Chicago Sun-Times if Rauner and other Republicans would be hiring ISIL to investigate issues of voter fraud in Illinois.
The comment apparently refers to claims by a local resident that he was confronted by an armed private investigator who was looking into allegations of voter fraud allegedly perpetuated by Democrats.
"More worried about the challenge of his armed ballot security rentals ... what's next, does [Rauner] rent ISIL?" Brown was quoted as saying by the Sun-Times.
The comment sparked outrage in some Illinois political circles and allegations that the comparison to ISIL crossed the lines.
"ISIL is a radical Islamic terror organization that just butchered an American journalist and continues to slaughter Christians and other minorities—how does the most powerful Democrat in the State of Illinois get away with comparing Republicans to ISIL?" asked one senior foreign policy adviser who has worked closely on ISIL issues. "The use of ISIL imagery in any domestic political context should be condemned by all decent Americans."
Another D.C.-based political insider who advises on foreign policy issues appeared dumb founded when he learned of the comparison.
"This is too stupid for words," the source said. When asked to follow up on that comment, the source responded: "What this man said is too stupid for words."