*** UPDATE *** Alexi Giannoulias’ lawyers have sent letters to state’s attorneys, county clerks and the attorney general asking for an investigation of Mark Kirk’s “voter integrity” project. The lawyers have also asked that the offices “provide additional legal and law enforcement personnel” to the targeted areas “in order to ensure that every vote is cast and counted legally.”

Read the letter by clicking here.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

* Republican US Senate candidate Mark Kirk is being criticized for saying he has “now funded the largest voter integrity” program in 15 years in Illinois. Kirk told Republicans on a conference call, obtained by ArchPundit, that he’s deploying lawyers to “key, vulnerable precincts,” to guard against fraud. All of the places Kirk mentioned, however, have high numbers of black people, including the South and West Sides of Chicago, Rockford, Metro East, “where the other side might be tempted to jigger the numbers somewhat.” Listen…

* Kirk has taken some heat over the use of the word “jigger,” but I’d rather not go there. It seems a bit much to me. And, frankly, it distracts from the real issue.

Often when campaigns deploy these armies of lawyers, their aim is to suppress the vote, not ensure ballot integrity. The lawyers hover everywhere and will do things like demand voters produce identification, or check for any tiny technical errors committed by polling judges. Anything to prolong the process might also discourage people waiting in line. With today’s electronic voting, it’s pretty tough and highly unusual to stuff ballot boxes, but it’s a handy excuse to use while you’re suppressing turnout.

* The Kirk campaign points to a recent voter fraud case in the Metro East for justification…

“Congressman Kirk supports statewide efforts to combat machine politics and voter fraud that is well-known in Illinois,” read a statement Thursday issued by Kirk spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski. “Just this week, two individuals pled guilty to vote fraud in Metro East. Voter fraud dilutes votes and disenfranchises citizens.”

But that case, as Larry notes, was about absentee voting, not election-day, precinct-level voting, which is what the Kirk people say they are fighting. Apples and oranges.

* It’s Kirk’s right to do this. There’s nothing illegal about it as long as his operatives stay within the law come election day. Polls show that black voters aren’t backing him at all and there’s a big push by Democrats now to turn out black voters, so I can even see why he’s doing it. But bragging about voter suppression efforts in black precincts is more than a little unseemly. He pretty much deserves whatever heat he gets. Cindi Canary of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform is right…

“Congressman Kirk is correct that on occasion people are busted for voter fraud but it’s an extraordinarily inefficient if not impossible way to mess with an election and it’s certainly not the province of any political group or political machine or ethnic group,” Canary said.

Canary also said that she wasn’t surprised the targeted districts are made up of mostly African Americans.

“I think there may be something there and even more broadly it’s the urban vote versus the suburban and exurban vote. It’s kind of like saying voter fraud is a symptom of African American voters,” Canary explained. “This is not necessarily the voter population that he’s likely to win.”

* Meanwhile, Mark Kirk’s new TV ad is called “Truth.” Rate it…

Kinda on the wordy side. We’ll see.

* I forgot to post this the other day. Greg Hinz fires off a good one…

GOP Senate nominee Mark Kirk got off a line he should have used in [Sunday’s] TV debate.

Referring to Democratic foe Alexi Giannoulias, who was several groups ahead of him in the parade, Mr. Kirk quipped, “When you went to Miami to see Michael ‘Jaws’ Giorango, what did you talk about?”

Ouch! Mr. Giannoulias has said he didn’t know “the full extent” of Jaws’ and other Broadway Bank clients’ mob-related criminal past.

As I’ve written before, that Miami trip is the single largest unanswered question about Giannoulias’ role at the bank. I’m kinda surprised there’s been so little attention to it.

* Roundup…

* Kirk, Giannoulias on gays in military ruling: Democrat Alexi Giannoulias praised Tuesday’s decision to stop a policy he called “discriminatory” and “unconstitutional.”
A spokeswoman for Republican Mark Kirk says he doesn’t believe a decision should be made until the Joint Chiefs of Staff issue their report on the policy in December.

* Alexi’s TARP waffle?

* Daily Herald: Kirk is our choice for U.S. Senate

* Honesty attacks escalate in Illinois Senate race

* Rep. Mark Kirk looks to take open Senate seat from Alexi Giannoulias

* Alexi all in on 60 second spot

* First lady begins campaigning Wed to help Dems

* First Lady Hits Trail Without Dem Talking Points

* Michelle Obama appeals to moms on the campaign trail

* First lady comes home for Democrats

* Giannoulias Stops in Rockford