Dupage Policy Journal

Peter Breen still does not know how state Rep. Terra Costa-Howard (D-Lombard) can justify attacking people in her district merely for defending their religious beliefs.

“We’re at a time of historic persecution of people of faith around the world,” Breen, who lost to Costa-Howard in a hotly contested battle to represent the district in November,” told DuPage Policy Journal. “Rep. Costa-Howard putting out a letter on Holy Thursday calling Catholics bullies is disgraceful. Three days later, hundreds of Christians were murdered just attending Easter service.”

Breen assailed Costa-Howard over her letter to the editor in the Lombardian last month and for her recent actions on abortion in his own op-ed that he penned for the publication this week, taking her to task for what he saw as belittling other people’s religious faith. Since arriving in Springfield, Costa-Howard has supported legislation that would remove all restrictions on abortion.

Former Republican state Rep. Peter Breen (Lombard)

“Folks who responded to her thought they were engaging in democracy,” Breen said. “But no one has still addressed the issue more broadly in terms of having respect for people’s beliefs and faith in general. I was in an election against her and since then I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me, disappointed in her actions. They said she told them one thing on the campaign trail and is doing something different in office.”

Breen said that among the most glaring inconsistencies is the way Costa-Howard vowed to be an independent voice in Springfield but has pretty much gone along in lockstep with Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan’s agenda, including voting for him to remain in office. Breen also points out that while a candidate, Costa-Howard claimed to be a practicing Catholic, but more recently has altered that position to contend that “she isn’t really a Catholic” but was just raised Catholic.

“She did everything possible to portray herself as a practicing Catholic,” he said. "To be so flip about people’s deepest convictions, I think is outright insulting. Politics is important, but being true to who you are is more important. When I ended my campaign, I could walk with my head held high because I never misrepresented myself.”