Bogus backers?

The campaign of Vince Pallus, the Ravenstahl ally who is trying to unseat city Council President Darlene Harris in her North Side district, contends that Ms. Harris is falsely suggesting that she has been endorsed by former Mayor Sophie Masloff and by Judy O’Connor, the wife of the late Mayor Bob O’Connor.  A flyer that the Harris campaign mailed to the district’s voters _ including “The Pallus Family’’ _ lists a variety of endorsements on one side, and on the other features a series of photographs of Ms. Harris with figures including Mrs. Masloff and Mrs. O’Connor, along with quotes from each praising the candidate.

“Darlene had a big influence on me.  She knows how to work with each and every neighborhood on the North Side,’’ read the quote under the Masloff pix.

“Bob and Darlene could always resolve problems together,’’ appears under the O’Connor shot.

The Pallus campaign supplied a letter from Mrs. O’Connor repudiating the idea that she had take a position in the race.

“I may have said that at some point in the past but I’m supporting Pallus because he’s the endorsed candidate,’’ Mrs. Masloff said Friday night.

In fairness to the Harris campaign, which has also been the target of some pretty tough mail pieces, the side of the flyer with the photo array, which also includes former Mayor Tom Murphy and Jeanne Caliguiri, never uses the word endorse, although a reasonable person might infer that that’s the message.  Ms Harris could not immediately be reached for comment.   Also competing in that crowed Democratic race are Bobby Wilson and Steven P. Oberst.