Not good at all, Senator. Wow.
A new video launched by the Illinois Republican Party, titled “Reversal,” documents Rep. Duckworth’s reversal of her stance on the Benghazi Committee’s role in hearing testimony from Hillary Clinton.
“Rep. Duckworth’s vote to disband the Benghazi Committee in order to shield Hillary Clinton from answering the tough questions about this tragedy is yet another display of Rep. Duckworth putting her party ahead of transparency,” said Nick Klitzing, Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party. “The simple truth is that Rep. Duckworth, even going back to her time working with former Governor Rod Blagojevich, has put the interests of her party before the public.”
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
March 31, 2015:
During A Press Conference After Announcing Her Senate Bid, Duckworth Said That Clinton Needed To Go Before The Benghazi Committee And Testify. (Reboot Illinois Youtube, 4/2/15)
Duckworth Also Said That All Of Clinton’s Emails While In The State Department Should Be Released To The American Public. (Reboot Illinois Youtube, 4/2/15)
May 22, 2015:
On May 22, 2015, The State Department Released 296 Of Hillary Clinton’s Emails Related To Libya Policy And The 2012 Benghazi Attack. (Billy House and Mark Drajem, “Clinton E-Mails On Benghazi Attack Released By State Department,” CNN, 5/22/15)
It Was Found That Clinton Received Information On The Deadly Attack In Benghazi In Her Private Email Server. (Lisa Lerer and Matthew Lee, “Clinton Got Now-Classified Benghazi Info On Private Email (Updated),” The Associated Press, 5/22/15)
June 26, 2015:
The State Department Informed The Select Benghazi Committee That They Are No Longer Certain About Clinton’s Claim That All Her Work Emails Were Included In The 55,000 Pages Of Documents Handed Over To The Department. (Bradley Klapper and Matthew Lee, “State Dept.: 15 Emails Missing From Clinton Cache,” The Associated Press, 6/26/15)
September 7, 2015:
In Early September Hillary Clinton Gave Duckworth Her Support For Her Senate Candidacy. (Kevin Robillard, “Clinton: Duckworth ’should be the next senator from Illinois’” Politico Pro, 9/8/15)
September 30, 2015:
At The End Of A Press Release on September 30th, Tammy Duckworth Calls For The End Of The Benghazi Committee. (Rep. Tammy Duckworth, “Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth Statement On Kevin McCarthy’s Benghazi Comments,” Press Release, 9/30/15)
October 7, 2015:
Tammy Duckworth Voted To Proceed With The Slaughter Resolution Which Would Disband The Benghazi Committee. (Motion To Table, Roll Call Vote #536: Motion agreed to 240-183: R 240; D 183, 10/7/15, Duckworth Voted No)
- perry noya - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:11 pm:
Back to allegations that Kirk abuses his staff. We know about them only because Kevin Artl publicized them. Trib still hasn’t printed a word (right?). Was Artl’s one of those political moves that looks so dumb it has to be smart? Or was it just as dumb as it looks?
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
Benghazi committee is a political sham designed to hurt Hillary Clinton. We’ve known it all along and then last week the would-be Speaker told Sean Hannity precisely that. Next we got a whistleblower coming out against the committee’s off-purpose focus on Hillary Clinton. Tammy has recognized that and changed her position accordingly. But yes, let’s docus attention on this sham. Thanks IL GOP.
- DecaturGuy - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:21 pm:
Kirk still has a pretty sizable lead in terms of cash on hand, which is the most important figure. Plus, Duckworth will have to spend a lot of $$ in her primary.
- hisgirlfriday - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:22 pm:
Do they actually think the Illinois electorate is poised to ding Duckworth for a flip-flop for voting to disband the Benghazi committee after McCarthy said its purpose was to let Republicans weaken Hillary politically? That is supposed to upset a majority Dem electorate?
Is Mark Kirk substantially more popular than Hillary in this state and I missed it?
- Former Hoosier - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 2:31 pm:
There have been something like 6-7 prior Benghazi committees. The current one was suppose to seal the deal…and sink Clinton. Most have thought this to be the case and McCarthy confirmed it last week. Not sure how Duckworth no longer being willing to support a charade is an unpardonable offense.
- sal-says - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:01 pm:
== ‘…has put the interests of their party before the public.’. ==
EXACTLY the same can be said of all IL Repub legislators! Well said, Illinois Republican Party.
Bengazi? Investigatin’? Still? After 3 years? Based on that, Bushie’s Iraq episode should be investigated for 3 Generations.
- The Captain - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
Outside spending will probably dwarf candidate spending in this race. Still, I was expecting both candidates to raise more money than this this quarter.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:12 pm:
of course given all the flks coming forward that the committee is purley a political move Duckworth may not take much damage from this; it could even backfire…. if people beleive this is just a partisan investigation without substance, the. the Duckworth hit could be sold as just hyperpartisan
- Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:14 pm:
==Plus, Duckworth will have to spend a lot of $$ in her primary.==
On what? Zopp is taking care of the negative ads herself.
- Springfieldish - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:16 pm:
“Plus, Duckworth will have to spend a lot of $$ in her primary.”
Nope. Barbara Byrd Bennett just cut that expenditure by about a third. Zopp is already connected to the scandal, so a gentle nudge will sour a sufficient number of Chicago African Americans on that one issue alone among a demographic that she seems to be exclusively relying upon. Zopp is doing nothing in the collar counties and downstate, areas she will need in a general election. This seems to be evidence of Daley’s start-and-stoppy campaign style. Not at all close to a pathway to winning in November.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 3:47 pm:
Benghazi, really, today, in Illinois?
Is Kass tne Big Brain there?
Fox and talk radio can ignore seven investigations, including the GOP House Intelligence Committee, but those with the ability to breathe through their nose and pick their hands off the ground cannot.
Kirk’s best hope would be Joe Walsh in tne primary. Play off the crazy man, make nice with the women.
You can spin yourself crazy, but everyone knows that in a presidential year in Illinois turnout jumps from about 50 percent to about 70 percent.
And everyone knows what that means, for Kirk, today.
- slow down - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:21 pm:
Every time Kirk comes up as a subject on this site, the same thought comes to my mind and that is, what in the world is Kirk going to run on? When his allies are raising Benghazi to try and help him, that tells you all you need to know about the hollow nature of his candidacy.
- DuPage Bard - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 4:36 pm:
Kirk is done. Bruce needs to do a huge IE for him after taking most of his staff or it’s over.
- illini - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 5:11 pm:
Let the games begin - can’t wait to see what the next 14 months will bring ( not to mention the incessant robo calls, emails, and corporate paid-for flyers landing in my mail box ).
Let the games begin. There is probably much more to this thread that will develop in the future.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 14, 15 @ 5:15 pm:
Artl must also “feel” that between Rauner, PACs, and the Senatorial Committee, Kirk will be “fine”
I hope that’s not the case, Kev, because this number today is really lousy, and I’m being polite.
- MrJM - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 7:45 am:
“Buh… Buh… But… Benghazi!” is to the national GOP as “Buh… Buh… But… Madigan!” is to the IL GOP.
– MrJM
- Cannon649 - Thursday, Oct 15, 15 @ 3:18 pm:
No surprise here. Duckworth will do what she told.
As long a she does - she will get funds.
Put the truth or Illinois first - not for a machine Dem.