Duckworth case gets trial date
Thursday, May 19, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* You gotta wonder why she didn’t try to make this go away years ago…
Two former employees at the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs claiming to be the victims of workplace retaliation while Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth was the department’s director will get their day in court, nearly a decade after first leveling charges.
The case, which names Duckworth – the candidate facing the Senate’s most vulnerable Republican, Mark Kirk, will be heard on Aug. 15, an Illinois court announced Wednesday.
The Kirk campaign, which has tried to make the trial an issue in the race, took a victory lap in a statement to reporters.
“After seven years of stalling and excuses, Rep. Duckworth is now finally scheduled to go to trial where she will have to face the whistleblowers she sought to silence and address the abuse and neglect veterans endured during her term as Director of Veterans’ Affairs,” said Kevin Artl, Kirk’s campaign manager. “Unfortunately for Illinois citizens, the legacy of Rod Blagojevich continues as yet another Chicago Democrat goes to trial.”
* Then again, maybe she really things this is politically motivated and wouldn’t settle…
Duckworth’s supporters call the case a politically motivated nuisance lawsuit. They note it was dismissed twice before the current lawsuit was refiled in Union County.
Kirk’s campaign has highlighted the case in TV ads accusing Duckworth of mistreating veterans and trying to silence whistleblowers.
Union County Judge Mark Boie says he’ll hear the case August 15 and 16.
* But whether it’s legit or not, it’s gonna be part of the campaign for the foreseeable future…
The suit has made Duckworth the subject of frequent criticism from Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s campaign for re-election. Kirk aides have accused her of trying to “silence” whistleblowers and has noted her appointment to the state Veterans’ Affairs post was made by now-imprisoned and disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“Unfortunately for Illinois citizens, the legacy of Rod Blagojevich continues as yet another Chicago Democrat goes to trial,” Kirk campaign manager Kevin Artl said in a statement.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 2:48 pm:
“Politics 102 - Cut Your Loses… One day stories of a settlement are better than days and days of an ongoing court case against you”
It’s a required class.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 3:01 pm:
Who cares if it’s political? You settle. Geez. This just shows poor judgement to let something like this dangle out there to be whacked again and again.
- Nick Danger - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
Kirk - about to get hoisted by his own petard.
- Mama - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 3:34 pm:
She should settle for what?
- A guy - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
===* You gotta wonder why she didn’t try to make this go away years ago…===
Right??
- Ghost - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 4:47 pm:
seems risky for Kirk to bang this drum that hatd. If she wins the counter adds will blow back on him
- 47th Ward - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 4:51 pm:
It was always going to be part of this campaign, whether she settled it years ago or fights it in August.
I have no idea who it will play out, but Duckworth and her lawyers do. They’ve read the depositions, they know which facts will be allowed, and they’ve decided to fight in open court.
Unless they are the dumbest people on the planet, they have reason to believe the trial will help them.
- Last Bull Moose - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 5:05 pm:
Not a fan of Duckworth but hope there is nothing there. Tired of convicting Illinois politicians.
- anon - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 5:32 pm:
If Duckworth should settle this, then should The Donald settle the lawsuit on Trump U??
- cgo75 - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 6:49 pm:
She comes across very docile and honest, would be surprised to see any sort of wrongdoing on her part.
- Anonymous - Thursday, May 19, 16 @ 7:46 pm:
It’s a civil case, not a criminal one. The Blagojevich comparison is a stretch.
- A. Nonymous - Friday, May 20, 16 @ 1:48 am:
@ Anonymous - “The Blagojevich comparison is a stretch.”
Artl and Kirk are plastic men - stretching is par for the course. This style of hollow attack worked in Georgia (GOP claiming a war veteran amputee was in bed w/ bin Laden of all things).
Doubtful it’ll work in Illinois.
The case has been kicked out twice already and it miraculously re-appeared just in time for another election cycle.
The ads on Kirk lying about combat and his military record are more than enough to counter this drivel.
When the case is dismissed in September but Artl continues running with it anyway the Duckworth camp will add a line like “And now Mark Kirk is so desperate he’s lying about Tammy Duckworth’s undying support for our nation’s heroes”.
All she needs to do from now til November is repeat “Kirk lied about being in combat and the rest of his military record.” He brought this on himself.