Kirk vs. Giannoulias
Friday, Mar 5, 2010 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The two US Senate candidates have created competing “truth” sites…
Democrat Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign has put together TruthAboutAlexi.com.
It addresses questions about his family’s failing Broadway Bank. And it says that while Broadway Bank did loan money to people like Tony Rezko, a lot of other banks did too.
Republican Mark Kirk’s campaign has put together a site called RealTruthAboutAlexi.com.
Rate ‘em.
* The US House passed a relatively tiny stimulus bill yesterday, and GOP Rep. Mark Kirk voted against it. That vote prompted a predictable back and forth…
The bill would offer companies a one-year exemption from paying the 6.2% Social Security tax for each new worker they hire that had been out of work for at least two months. It also would expand investment write-offs for small business, transfer cash into the government’s depleted highway-building fund and offer subsidies to local governments to issue construction bonds.
Mr. Kirk, a Republican, said the $18 billion bill is defective because there is no assurance the Social Security fund ever will be reimbursed.
“The American people need jobs — not gimmicks,” he said in a press release. “Very few small businesses will spend $40,000 creating one new job just to get a $1,000 tax credit in return.”
Mr. Giannoulias, a Democrat, wasn’t available for comment himself, but the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee put out a statement on his behalf ripping Mr. Kirk’s “stunning” vote against the alleged interests of 725,000 unemployed Illinois residents.
Bill Brady has a somewhat similar tax break for job creation, so it’ll be fun to see the Kirk quote used in that context.
* The Republicans tried to make this an issue the other day, so Adams’ recusal is not unexpected…
The head of the state agency that regulates banks said today he will recuse himself from matters involving the struggling family bank of U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias because he once worked as a campaign aide to Giannoulias.
Brent E. Adams, secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, worked for one month as a policy adviser on Giannoulias’ campaign for state treasurer in 2006, said department spokeswoman Susan Hofer. The department is working with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in deciding whether Giannoulias’ struggling family bank should be taken over by federal banking authorities.
While Adams doesn’t believe his stint with Giannoulias’ campaign causes a conflict of interest he will not be involved in any decisions regarding the bank, Hofer said. Adams received $500 from Giannoulias’ campaign fund for his work. […]
A Giannoulias spokeswoman said the state treasurer was never asked to help Adams get his state job and never advocated on Adams’ behalf.
* Giannoulias got some relatively favorable coverage of his family bank’s troubles from the largest TV station in Chicagoland…
Some community banks are struggling in this economic downturn. This week, U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias said his family bank is one of them.
It is on a federal watchlist of problem banks along with many others.
The Independent Community Bankers Association told ABC 7 Thursday that virtually all of the group’s member banks are under some stress because of falling real estate values. But he acknowledged the Giannoulias family-owned bank apparently is among those facing the most dire circumstances.
Despite hearing the name Broadway Bank in news reports, many long-time customers have not considered moving their accounts. Restaurant owner Jake Moody, a 30-year customer, likes the personal service there.
Mayor Daley also chipped in his two cents…
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says Alexi Giannoulias’s family bank problems won’t affect the Democratic Senate nominee’s campaign.
- Rob N - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:02 am:
Only one candidate accepted campaigns funds from Tony Rezko…
That’d be Mark Kirk, who apparently votes against tax cuts.
;)
- Carl Nyberg - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:06 am:
Is the Giannoulias campaign or the DSCC going to have a negative site on Kirk? Or are they just hoping Ellen of the Tenth keeps publishing?
Disclosure: I recently joined the blog as a contributor.
- George - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:08 am:
I see the Giannoulias campaign has now released a third “truth” site in response to Alexi:
TheRealTruthAboutAlexiFoShizzle.com
- George - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:09 am:
I meant in response to Kirk
- George - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:13 am:
The problem with Alexi’s site is three-fold:
1) All the headlines in the background make it look like their are hundreds of articles making these claims against him. That imagery makes it appear defensive.
2) If I am scanning the Myth/Fact pages, all I read are the “Myths” because they are in really big font. They should make the first sentence of the facts the same size text.
3) Why call them Myths? Why not just go and call them lies?
- True Observer - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:15 am:
“The bill would offer companies a one-year exemption from paying the 6.2% Social Security tax for each new worker they hire…”
These employees will get the same social security credits and benefits as everyone else.
To Kirk’s point, who is going to make this up for the rest of the employees kicking in into social security.
Looks like just another welfare program added on except it sucks it out of the social security trust fund.
- dupage dan - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:18 am:
Let’s get ready to rumblllllllllllllllllllle!
- George - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:23 am:
“The American people need jobs — not gimmicks,” he said in a press release. “Very few small businesses will spend $40,000 creating one new job just to get a $1,000 tax credit in return.”
Sounds like Mark Kirk is campaigning against Bill Brady (who proposed a $2,100 Tax Credit for new jobs).
- Brennan - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:28 am:
Alexi is copying the Obama for America model. See the “smears” report?
- wordslinger - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 11:50 am:
Alexi misses a trick by not having a Donation button like Kirk has on his.
The two campaigns could probably pool and operate jointly the “Insider Deals” and “Hear a Smear” functions.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a candidate use his website to ask for dirt on his opponent.
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 12:14 pm:
Oh good! Does this mean that the cost of a Campaign suddenly became cheaper?
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 12:20 pm:
I suppose one could look at it as “expediency and efficiency”, word.
- vole - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:06 pm:
“Mr. Kirk, a Republican, said the $18 billion bill is defective because there is no assurance the Social Security fund ever will be reimbursed.”
Kirk could not have chosen a more disingenuous reason for voting against this. The surplus from social security has been woven into other revenues in the unified budget for god knows how long. So, has Kirk been advocating putting these surpluses in the “lock box” since first becoming a Congressman? And exactly how does he propose that we repay these funds absconded by Congress to help offset the deficits created by such things as the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy?
Kirk is slinking and slithering further to the right to inoculate himself against his more moderate and sane votes. Too bad because at one point it appeared that he might be able to represent the diverse interests of Illinois but now that is very questionable.
Looks like another Illinois democrat will be elected by default, de fault of a dysfunctional GOP.
- Ellen Beth Gill - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:10 pm:
Kirk didn’t seem to care that Bush raided the trust fund for his tax cuts.
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:16 pm:
Hmmm…WCW’s probably out because she’s frantically developing a Demoracts for Kirk site to counter the Republicans for Alexi site. Or in her case, perhaps it’s the ”
But All Moderates Are Moderates! 
” site.
(This is going to be such a long, long, long election.)
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:18 pm:
Yeah. The Feb. primary is a killer in so many ways.
- True Observer - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:33 pm:
“Kirk didn’t seem to care that Bush raided the trust fund for his tax cuts…”
It’s been raided ever since FDR created it. That’s why the sane people have been saying that there would be a day of reckoning. That day has just been postponed by postponing or reducing the promissed benefits.
Previously, they have been taking money out of the trust fund. This is probably the first time that the law has been changed to not even put the money in in the first place.
This is a quantum leap.
Since they have set a precedent, the one sure bet is that they will do it again.
The social security sink not only has a drain but now they’re going to partially close the spigot.
- shore - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:40 pm:
Ellen Beth Gill, archnemisis of Team America. The math on Alexi is very simple, the guy busted a billion dollar bank. As the bank went south, his family pulled out tens of millions so they could continue to live lavishly and then left the taxpayers on hold. That won’t play well in Arlington Heights.
Also in case anyone down there knows how to do math-Kirk has owned the MOST liberal suburbs of chicago for the last 10 years (which are only 10 points away from voters in quigley’s district. Meaning he’s going to have a much easier time winning roskam, weller, hastert and crane’s districts which are much more republican).
Even better, even the 10th dems note that alexi got demolished in the 10th by a score of 60-29 to neophyte david hoffman which suggests that even law and order suburban democrats think he’s too dirty for their taste.
- vole - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 1:48 pm:
“This is probably the first time that the law has been changed to not even put the money in in the first place.”
Don’t forget that the employees will still be contributing their 6.2% to SS.
Also, as someone who pays the self employment tax, i.e. both the employer and the employee contribution, I’ll be helping to offset any losses from this temporary reprieve. Also, do not forget which president presided over the start of the self employment tax — Mr. Reagan, hero to the tax haters.
- Brennan - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 2:12 pm:
=Kirk didn’t seem to care that Bush raided the trust fund for his tax cuts.=
That’s a lie.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 2:13 pm:
According to Ellen Beth Gill, everything is Kirk’s fault! Always!
- vole - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 2:36 pm:
“=Kirk didn’t seem to care that Bush raided the trust fund for his tax cuts.=
That’s a lie.”
All in the semantics. The Bush tax cuts created a big hole in the budget, no?
The social security surplus did fill part of that hole, no?
So, do I complain that my self employment tax helps to offset tax cuts for millionaires? Yes I do. Do I hear any Republicans offering to listen to my complaint? No, I don’t. Kind of ironical, no?
So, a Lie to you. But to Democrats, a convenient low hanging truth to shine when Republicans cherry pick the facts when justifying their hypocritical votes.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 2:55 pm:
Am I supposed to enjoy this?
I don’t get my information from silly web sites like this, and I don’t know anyone else who does.
I think the point of these sites is to give their supporters reasons for their partisan delusions.
- 10th Indy - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:09 pm:
Did anyone see a DSCC press-release ripping Reps. Bean, Rush, Jackson, Jr. for their stunning vote against this bill?
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:11 pm:
It’s umm…puzzling, isn’t it, V-Man? I’ve been trying to figure this out since yesterday, and am still struggling with it. I think it’s safe to say that a precedent is being set, but I’m not sure what it is, nor what value it will add.
Is this a “younger voter” thing, or something, to which I suddenly can no longer relate?
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:15 pm:
Perhaps it’s time for one of those “technology” interviews with Giannoulias and Kirk to ask them “what’s new in tech,” “who is your audience,” and “how’s it working for you”?
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:19 pm:
===
Did anyone see a DSCC press-release ripping Reps. Bean, Rush, Jackson, Jr. for their stunning vote against this bill?
===
Is it on the Giannoulias, Kirk, anti-Giannoulias (R), anti-Giannoulias (D), anti-Kirk (R), or… website?
- Brennan - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:26 pm:
=All in the semantics=
vole: Nope. It’s not in the semantics. The statement is a lie.
Kirk’s statement isn’t great. I’m not defending it by calling Ellen’s lie a lie.
Here’s a test. Was there ever a United States government budget surplus between the years of 1993 and 2008?
- 10th Indy - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:28 pm:
anon 3:19 - I just spit all over my keyboard! and that’s how I’ll end this week - Happy weekend everyone
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:41 pm:
You too, 10th!
And since my funny was so good, I’m going to have to bore everyone again by noting that all of the Anons til now were mine.
(That’s a true statement, so I hope no one is going to should out “LIE!!!!”)
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:42 pm:
…to SHOUT out “LIE”!
- Sideline Observer - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 3:47 pm:
Mr. Giannoulias, a Democrat, wasn’t available for comment himself, but the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee put out a statement on his behalf ripping Mr. Kirk’s “stunning” vote against the alleged interests of 725,000 unemployed Illinois residents.
One suspects we’ll see a lot of that “AG wasn’t available” through the summer and fall.
- The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 4:04 pm:
===
One suspects we’ll see a lot of that “AG wasn’t available” through the summer and fall.
===
And why is that, Sideline Observer?
- sucka free - Friday, Mar 5, 10 @ 5:26 pm:
curious as to who is harmed by the Broadway bank failure (assuming it happens) other than the Giannoulias family.
Depositors are protected.
FDIC paid with fees from the banks, not “taxpayer” money.
No shareholders other than familia Giannoulias.
Maybe this is not the right post for this question, but I am still struggling with how this is even an issue. Maybe it speaks to Alexi’s business ability, but a failing once successful family business in this day-and-age is not exactly a big scandal.
Just sayin’