I read Kathy Abbate’s letter to the editor recently and am reminded of a quote from a movie: “Politics is perception.” I read her impassioned pleas for the right to free speech and agree with her.

But perceive what she did. She had her own personal flier against the referendum and on it lied that enrollment has fallen since 1990 when it has actually risen. She added a completed sample ballot, encouraging a no vote for the referendum and inserted both into a bag with literature from Judy Biggert, Jim Durkin and the Downers Grove Township Republican Organization. As a “Republican Committeeman for Precinct 95,” she gave the perception that these candidates, and the Republican Party as a whole, were against the referendum.

If lying about the district to encourage a no vote is acceptable behavior for a committeeman, then it is possible her role has been misrepresented.

Finding that hard to believe I called all three offices. Representatives from Judy Biggert’s and Jim Durkin’s offices told me this was misleading and not acceptable behavior on behalf of their candidates. A representative at the DGTRO said their committeemen should not be including personal propaganda within their materials and should not be offering opinions on referendums.

Mrs. Abbate is the one who appears to be confused about her role as a committeeman. She calls the distribution of misinformation, and her own opinion on referendums, her “job.”

Mrs. Abbate draws this criticism through her own deceptive actions. Her complete lack of judgment, tact and sensitivity toward education is why citizens and elected officials alike are angry with her.

Andrew Nilles, unincorporated Downers Grove Township