Good point. Kirk has broken with his national party twice in recent weeks.
In June 2006, US Attorney’s Office Announced An Investigation Into Blagojevich’s Administration For Hiring Fraud
In 2006 It Was Revealed US Attorney’s Office Was Investigating The Blagojevich Administration For “Endemic Hiring Fraud.” “The inspector general’s findings take on added significance after Friday’s disclosure that U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald is looking into allegations of “endemic hiring fraud” within Blagojevich’s administration.” (Ray Long, Rick Pearson And John Chase, “Watchdog rips state hiring,” Chicago Tribune, 7/2/06)
An IG Report Released In July 2006 Found The Blagojevich Administration Was Subverting Veterans Preference Hiring Laws
Blagojevich’s Patronage Office “Played A Key Role” In “Subverting State Laws That Give Veterans A Preference.” The report said Blagojevich’s patronage office–known formally as the governor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs–played a key role with compliant agency officials in subverting state laws that give veterans a preference in getting state employment and ban political considerations in hiring for most state jobs. (Ray Long, Rick Pearson And John Chase, “Watchdog rips state hiring,” Chicago Tribune, 7/2/06)
The Report Revealed “A Concerted Effort To Subvert The Laws Including Veterans’ Preference.” “Evidence shows non-compliance with state hiring laws,” the inspector general wrote. “In fact, it reveals a concerted effort to subvert the laws including veterans’ preference and the hiring process” for jobs protected under a 1990 U.S. Supreme Court ruling known as the Rutan decision. (Ray Long, Rick Pearson And John Chase, “Watchdog rips state hiring,” Chicago Tribune, 7/2/06)
In August 2006, Duckworth Said She Would Support Blagojevich’s Re-Election
In An August 2006 Letter To Then-Opponent Peter Roskam, Duckworth Said She Would Support Blagojevich’s Reelection Campaign. In a letter back to Roskam, Duckworth says she supports Blagojevich’s re-election. “But that does not mean that I give him, or anyone else, a pass on ethical behavior,” she said in the letter. “Should he or his administration be proven to have engaged in illegal or unethical actions, they should suffer the consequences.” (John Patterson, “Roskam asks Duckworth if she backs Blagojevich,” Chicago Daily Herald,” 8/4/06)
In November 2006, Blagojevich Appointed Duckworth As Director Of The IDVA
November 21, 2006 – Governor Rod Blagojevich Appointed Duckworth To Run The Illinois Department Of VeteransAffairs. (Lynn Sweet, “Gov Picks Duckworth For Veterans Affairs,” Chicago Sun-Times, 11/21/06)
As IDVA Director, Duckworth Touted Blagojevich’s Commitment To Hiring Veterans
On One Of Her First Days On The Job, Duckworth Said “Governor Blagojevich Is Committed To Ensuring That Veterans Can Put Their Many Skills To Use Serving The Citizens Of Illinois…” “‘Governor Blagojevich is committed to ensuring that veterans can put their many skills to use serving the citizens of Illinois, and I applaud IDOT for making this extra effort to reach out to find qualified veterans to fill these very demanding and important jobs,’ said IDVA Acting Director Tammy Duckworth. ‘There are many great career opportunities for veterans in state government, and this is one that many veterans are extremely well-suited for.’” (Illinois Department Of Transportation, “State Seeks Veterans To Fill Illinois Department Of Transportation Highway, Emergency Traffic Patrol Posts In Cook County,”Press Release, 1/2/07)
Infractions Doubled at IDVA Under Duckworth’s Tenure
The Auditor General Reported Twice As Many Findings For The Audit Ending In June 2008 Than The Previous Audit. (Illinois Auditor General, “Compliance Examination: State Of Illinois Department Of Veterans’ Affairs,” For The Two Years Ended June 30, 2008, p.4)
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan Is Representing Duckworth. “Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office is representing Duckworth, and has filed to have the case dismissed.” (Monique Garcia and Duaa Eldeib, “Walsh, Duckworth Skirmish Over Lawsuit,” Chicago Tribune, 10/11/12)
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:17 pm:
To the Kirk campaign: Don’t worry, I’m not concerned about ties to Trump. I’m voting against you for your ties to Rauner.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:18 pm:
===Duckworth says she supports Blagojevich’s re-election. “But that does not mean that I give him, or anyone else, a pass on ethical behavior,” she said in the letter. “Should he or his administration be proven to have engaged in illegal or unethical actions, they should suffer the consequences.”===
That’s the smoking gun?
I guess that’s the same as if she signed a letter to the Iranian Supreme Leader stating that the President of the United States lacks the authority to negotiate treaties.
Oh wait, Kirk did that. With 46 other Republican Senators.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:19 pm:
Now we go from one court case, to decade old connections to Rod Blagojevich?
Kev,
Stick with the denouncing of Trump. You don’t “need” someone dumping 10 year old Blago. It’s straw grasping. Find better stuff. Work and have someone dump… better stuff.
This isn’t helping, this is kinda/sorta embarrassing, no matter how it got dumped.
- PalumbrasWay - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:22 pm:
Mark Kirk has the following ratings:
Conservative Scorecard - F
Heritage rating - 12% Conservative Rating. This places him below over 80 Democrats including Tammy Duckworth who scores a 19% conservative rating.
The only thing getting rid of Kirk will accomplish is to make the Senate more partisan. Where are all the Blue Dog Democrats today? Gone. Kirk has crossed party lines on the environment, on guns, on abortion. What will Duckworth do for IL other than follow the party line and vote in lockstep with Dick Durbin on everything? You want more partisan gridlock? Duckworth ‘16.
- Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:24 pm:
Good for the goose, good for the gander.
This makes her look hypocritical.
She wouldn’t distance herself from Blago of all people? Nope, she just kept towing the party line.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:25 pm:
“I’m not sending this to you as an oppo dump…”
At last, surrealist campaigning!
“Ceci n’est pas une oppo dump.”
– MrJM
- siriusly - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:26 pm:
Kirk’s main challenge with this election will not be Trump’s really bad and weird comments, it will be his own.
- The Muse - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:27 pm:
Zzzzz….Zzzzzzz… The Kirk campaign is bigger trouble than expected if that’s the best they can come up with. Blago is old news. Let’s just say that they get some media play from it, but then Duckworth comes out forcefully disavowing Blago?? Carry on…
- Fusion - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:28 pm:
I’m not voting for Kirk because I’m tired of Mitch McConnell being Senate Majority Leader.
- siriusly - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:29 pm:
GOP won’t want to remind voters about the Blagojevich years, because the state had a budget then.
- Macbeth - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
Please.
Kirk = Rauner.
I don’t care about Blagojevich. He’s locked away. Who cares?
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:32 pm:
Next thing you know Kirk’s campaign will be touting his combat record LOL
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:33 pm:
“This is not the oppo dump you’re looking for.”
- Keyrock - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:37 pm:
It’s an oppo dump — and a floor wax!
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:42 pm:
Did she denounce Governor Ryan? Oh no, that’s right, she was fighting in a war.
- Springfieldish - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:44 pm:
It’s an oppo dump alright. But like Kirk’s dump of Trump, just too little, just to late, and more than a little too weak. Not only is Kirk himself not running things anymore, to the extent that he is rudely removed from reporters’ presence by his staff for saying too much, his staff is running things in a hollow, catch-up fashion.
It will take then no time at all to get as nasty as possible, but it will in no way be an oppo dump. Yeesh!
- pundent - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:45 pm:
The problem is that Trump is on the ballot (although that might be t/b/d). Blagojevich on the other hand isn’t.
- Lovie - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:49 pm:
He’s the bro with no ho from the south side.
- northsider (the original) - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:54 pm:
Blago v. Rauner is Sophie’s choice.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:59 pm:
It is such weak oppo, the Kirk campaign had enough respect for themselves to not call it an oppo dump?
But I do agree with the Kirk campaign that Kirk breaks with his party more often than Duckworth breaks from her party.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 5:12 pm:
Mark Kirk signed a letter sent to a foreign government telling them to not pay any attention to our executive branch.
Mark Kirk may as well be voting for Trump if he isn’t voting for an actual candidate on the actual ballot.
- Albany Park Patriot - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 5:14 pm:
Apples and Orangeheads.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 6:07 pm:
It is pretty old stuff, but the next time she breaks with her party will be the first. And the VA wait list scandal offered a prime opportunity.
- Bleh - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 6:12 pm:
Like many here, I could care less about Duckworth’s ties to Blago. He’s behind bars. If she participated in any illegal activity, let the judicial branch do what it’s intended to do.
Like many here as well, there’s other reasons to NOT vote for Kirk.
- burbanite - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 7:52 pm:
this race is boring.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 8:10 pm:
Tammy Duckworth voted for Blagojevich in 2006…and so did 1.7 million other people.
Topinka’s selection of Joe Birkett as her running mate probably gave Rod a bigger boost than Duckworth’s endorsement.
- DunkinDoNUT - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:02 pm:
Kirk’s gonna lose this one - just watch .
- AlabamaShake - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 11:41 pm:
**Kirk’s gonna lose this one - just watch .**
Way to go out on a limb.
- Sense of a Goose - Friday, Jun 10, 16 @ 9:11 am:
No one was more appalled at the waste that was Blago. However, allegations were just that in 2006 so many of us voted for the guy a second time. It’s about policies. Trump doesn’t have any policies and he spouts racist, sexist, every other bad set of personal beliefs. Can’t ignore what comes out of his mouth because that’s what is deeply imbedded in hi brain. No policy or ‘better campaign’ as Paul Ryan hopes for can overcome such a warped personal belief system. That must be disavowed