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* As I told subscribers this morning, Republican Congressman Mark Kirk has released a new statewide radio ad entitled “No Taxes for Alexi Giannoulias - Higher Taxes For You.” Listen…
Script…
“Alexi Giannoulias just released his taxes. The Chicago Tribune headline said quote: ‘Wealthy Giannoulias paid no taxes last year,’ endquote. Fox Chicago reported that Alexi is worth at least $7 million, but paid no taxes. How? Alexi’s Broadway Bank collapsed from risky loans and loans to convicted mobsters. Alexi just deducted the money he lost on his tax return. Bingo. Pay no taxes, and the government’s FDIC pays Broadway’s $394 million loss. But while Alexi pays no taxes, he thinks you don’t pay enough taxes. Alexi wants higher federal income taxes, higher state income taxes, and higher energy taxes. Listen (to Alexi): ‘I have said from day one, as your state treasurer, that while politically it’s not the smartest thing to say, we need an income tax increase.’ Higher taxes for you. No taxes for Alexi Giannoulias.”
* Meanwhile, Kirk is on a statewide campaign swing and was in the Metro East yesterday, where he once again dodged questions about his military service record…
Kirk, however, declined to talk about allegations he exaggerated his accomplishments and the risks he took overseas during his 21 years as a Navy Reserve officer.
Kirk earlier this year told a Chicago newspaper that he came under fire with a Dutch armor unit in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, Kirk refused to answer a reporter’s questions about whether his recollection of coming under fire in Kandahar was accurate. Instead, Kirk told the reporter to refer to his officer fitness reports — which by press deadline Wednesday night had not arrived in the reporter’s e-mail box.
“What I’ve done is stick with my official military record,” Kirk said. “There are over 20 pages of details on everything I’ve done from an ensign to a commander.”
He can’t continue this line without suffering the consequences.
* Related…
* Kirk, Brady have different ideas about state GOP: Bill Brady and Mark Kirk, two Republicans running for top Illinois offices, sometimes seem to be running in different directions. Kirk, the party’s Senate candidate, questions the judgment of any public official who winds up not paying income taxes. That category includes Kirk’s Democratic opponent but also Brady, the GOP nominee for governor.
* Quinn to Giannoulias: Give Back Tax Refund
* Quinn: All Candidates Should Pay Taxes
* Baltimore Sun: O’Malley, Ehrlich, slow to release tax returns: Bill Brady and Mark Kirk, two Republicans running for top Illinois offices, sometimes seem to be running in different directions. Kirk, the party’s Senate candidate, questions the judgment of any public official who winds up not paying income taxes.
That category includes Kirk’s Democratic opponent but also Brady, the GOP nominee for governor.
* SJ-R Opinion: Revisit ruling requiring special election
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 9:31 am
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Didn’t Brady graciously defend Kirk on his military record when asked? And now Kirk throws him under the bus? Classy.
Comment by Finger Pointing Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 9:50 am
Kirk has no obligation to provide a play by play of every day of his honorable 20 year record in the navy.
The ad is brilliant in that it gets right to the heart of why people here are so upset with our leaders-that they took advantage of the system and left the little guy hanging. Alexi’s advisors gave kirk a wonderful gift.
Comment by shore Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 9:52 am
- Kirk has no obligation to provide a play by play of every day of his honorable 20 year record in the navy. -
You’re hilarious. Kirk took the liberty of providing this on his own, only to have it discovered that many things were embellishments and/or outright lies.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 9:58 am
Brilliant, Shore? Hyperbole much? I’m still mystified as to why a blatant Kirk sycophant is constantly shilling for his guy on this site. It’s both irritating and distasteful.
If Kirk leverages specific parts of his service for political gain, and has a history of embellishing said experiences, surely it is reasonable for the media to probe these specific experiences.
Comment by The Doc Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:00 am
It’s a great spot, but then again, it kind of writes itself. Hard to miss those fat pitches.
Still, the big story of the race is that Alexi hasn’t been knocked out, given the bank and his own nonexistent qualifications for the job. For that, Kirk can continue to thank himself.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:00 am
pfft, shore, I”m beginning to think the only ones actually paying taxes…any kind of taxes… is us little guys.
Comment by Cindy Lou Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:01 am
“Finger Pointing” – I see your point, but Brady didn’t have to give up a valuable line of attack against Quinn to defend Kirk.
Comment by grand old partisan Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:02 am
And just who is that third party candidate for US Senate…? LeAlan Jones is looking better and better every day.
Comment by Justice Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:04 am
The Kirk as demonstrates how a potentially good political ad can shoot itself in the foot by trying to do too much.
It opens well -
‘Wealthy Giannoulias paid no taxes last year’ - This is the ad’s new claim. We understand that it is true.
Alexi is worth at least $7 million. - We already know this is probably true.
Alexi’s Broadway Bank collapsed from risky loans and loans to convicted mobsters. - We already know this is probably true.
Alexi just deducted the money he lost on his tax return. - Considering what we already know about Broadway Bank, we can believe this is probably true.
That is where the ad works. It isn’t “news”. It presents the rolling narrative we have been reading about Giannoulais, then presents a damning new statement regarding his unpaid taxes. That is where the ad should have ended.
But NOooo! Some dummy decided to try and take it to a new level by trying to tie together what seems to have been some kind of pre-approved sound bite. (”Higher taxes for you. No taxes for Alexi Giannoulias.”)
So, then the Kirk ad goes lame -
‘I have said from day one, as your state treasurer, that while politically it’s not the smartest thing to say, we need an income tax increase.’
So after framing Giannoulais as a dishonest millionaire, they use a quote that sounds like it came from a guy willing to be a straight shooter. By using this quote, the ad goes too far in trying to justify it’s sound bite and negates what it stealthy presented in it’s opening.
Giannoulais is either the guy getting bucks under the table while we suffer, or the guy willing to tell us things we don’t want to hear because he is a straight shooter.
Considering how Kirk always tries to tell us what we want to hear, naturally he would think Giannoulais’ statement is a mistake.
Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:07 am
Let’s see, Kirk embelished his military service record. AG made loans to mobsters, lost $75 million in Bright Star and had his family bank collapse costing the FDIC nearly $400 million and he uses the loss as a write off to avoid paying any income tax. Yeah, whether Kirk was actually “under fire” in Kandahar is really important by comparison. Should Kirk have embellished? No. But at least he does have a record of 21 years of military service. What’s AG done that’s comparable to that?
Comment by wapak Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:08 am
===Giannoulais is either the guy getting bucks under the table while we suffer, or the guy willing to tell us things we don’t want to hear because he is a straight shooter.===
You’re assuming that listeners will think that through. Won’t happen.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:13 am
Some like to say “oh, all politicians lie.”
But Mark Kirk’s deal is on a completely different level. I’m not a psychiatrist, but you don’t have to be to see this guy has a serious problem. Normal people just don’t make up stories out of thin air like this guy does. It’s a behavior kids usually grow out of by the time they are 7 or 8.
Comment by just sayin' Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:22 am
Kirk pays $700 to $800 a year in property taxes on his home in Lake county while his neighbors pay thousands of dollar a year in property taxes on homes of less value.
It has been reported that from 2003 trough 2007 Kirk has got a tax break that amounted to more than $35,000.
That is $35,000 dollars in taxes that Kirk should have paid but didn’t.
Now we can add hypocrite to Kirk’s embellished resume.
Comment by (618) Democrat Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:22 am
Rich,
I think VM is half right in as much as Kirk’s team muddied their message. It would have been more effective to just say “Alexi paid no taxes” in this ad and let the next ad link no taxes and higher taxes.
I’m not saying the ad is ineffective, I’m just saying it is less effective than it could have been.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:28 am
One more haymaker could knock out either one of these guys.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:31 am
What is Mark Kirk supposed to do, say to the federal government that “while I realize that a law was passed to give tax credits to preserve historic homes and that this house was on a public market for all to buy and thus anyone could have had the benefit, I feel bad so I will pay the taxes others are not”?
BS.
If the news media wants to continue to ignore the issues in the campaign and focus on Kirk’s record which even his harshest critics in the media aknowledge is stellar, it will have no one to blame but itself if Alexi, who has a college level understanding of issues, is elected and we get another dud statewide office holder for the next 6 years.
Comment by shore Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:32 am
Kirk is going to lose. At this point he’s just running to force Democrats to spend money in Illinois.
And Kirk is undermining Bill Brady and the rest of the GOP ticket.
I love how Kirk’s narcissistic personality has become a liability for the state party.
Guess what Illinois Republicans? Mark Kirk is a DC guy. He doesn’t care what you think. And Kirk’s only interested in Illinois Republicans doing well if it helps Kirk do well.
Ask the Republicans who have run in Kirk’s district. What has Kirk done to help them?
Comment by Enjoying the Show Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:46 am
@shore 10:32
Hypocrisy is the act of persistently professing beliefs, opinions, virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards that are inconsistent with one’s actions. Hypocrisy is thus a kind of lie, and we all know by now that Kirk is a liar.
In this case the hypocrite Kirk thinks it is ok for him to follow the tax code and get his tax break but it is not ok for someone else to follow the tax code.
This makes Kirk, among other things, a hypocrite.
Comment by (618) Democrat Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:49 am
What is [Alexi] supposed to do, say to the federal government that “while I realize that a law was passed to give tax [deductions] to [those who lose money] and that this [happened to thousands of Americans and Illinoisans] and thus anyone could have had the benefit, I feel bad so I will pay the taxes others are not”?
Comment by dave Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:55 am
Surely other people besides me must be wondering if that story Kirk has often told about nearly drowing in Lake Michigan when he was a boy has any truth to it. I think he said the Coast Guard saved him. The fact that he told the story in the context of an effort to save a Coast Guard station in Chicago makes me extra suspicious.
That’s the problem when someone gets caught so many times in untruthiness. Everything Kirk says from now on is suspect and you can’t have that in a U.S. Senator, even one from Illinois.
Comment by just sayin' Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:00 am
- dave - Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:55 am:
“What is [Alexi] supposed to do, say to the federal government that “while I realize that a law was passed to give tax [deductions] to [those who lose money] and that this [happened to thousands of Americans and Illinoisans] and thus anyone could have had the benefit, I feel bad so I will pay the taxes others are not”?”
You are absolutely correct. To be fair, let’s apply the same requirement to Kirk and Brady (and Quinn if it’s an issue there) and move on the the issues.
As far as hypocrisy is concerned, I wish Kirk would just shut up and let his real record speak. Compared to Alexi, Kirk has a much more substantial record, with or WITHOUT embellishment.
Eventually, I hope that the media begins looking at the statements by all the candidates on the issues of the election, and the record of the candidates during their public tenure. This could be quite informative for the electorate, but don’t hold your breadth since it would require significant work. It is much easier for the media to report “he-said-she-said” stuff put out by the campaigns instead of some independent research.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:04 am
“20 pages of details” … for a 20 year Naval career.
That’s only a page a year.
Employees at a private business, which aren’t required to maintain nearly as much info as the military is, often have files that are 20-pages long as of their first year. Heck, a lot of insurance forms are 5-10 pages. Throw in performance surveys, vacation and sick day records, and more and the average joe’s work record grows to 20-pages in no time flat.
For as acclaimed as Kirk’s rapid response is they sure know how to slowfoot something when they want to avoid the topic.
–
Shore, Since his record was apparently so stellar why did he feel compelled to lie about it repeatedly, habitually and in several contexts?
More importantly, what else is he willing to lie to us citizens about?
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:09 am
Cincinattus says, “To be fair, let’s apply the same requirement to Kirk and Brady (and Quinn if it’s an issue there) and move on the the issues.”
Let’s move on to the issues.
Why is Kirk so ready to flip-flop on the issues?
His flip-flop on the conservatives’ market-based cap and trade issue was only the most famous and most recent.
Kirk has also flip-flopped on Iraq and several other issues.
Please explain.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:12 am
Rep. Kirk has been a hypocrite for a few years. He says that he opposes all congressional earmarks, but he ensured that the federal government spent at least $5 million, each, in his district, for Metra, Headstart, HUD, and local police departments. He opposes earmarks, in other congressional districts, but he supports earmarks, for his district.
Comment by Conservative Veteran Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:15 am
Good points all Rob_N. Let’s see them explored in detail as well as Alexi’s non-performance as state treasurer when his bond investments did as well as his bank. Fair game, both.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:18 am
=You’re assuming that listeners will think that through. Won’t happen.=
There’s something odd about the ad, but I don’t have time to analyze it right now.
At first glance, it’s not “pleasant” to listen to–even if you disregard the topic–and seems overly complex in some way. It’s missing “emotion” somehow. It doesn’t relate. It’s “disconnected”. Almost comparable to watching a ?Hitchcock film?, maybe.
When Alexi puts something out, it appeals and tugs at emotion; the message is clear. When Kirk puts something out, it’s Kirk…”cerebral”, I guess.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:21 am
Is it too early for Kirk to be using this ammunition? Should he be trying to build his positives given how negative his current image is…or is it just those of us who pay attn that see how low they both are right now?
Comment by D.P. Gumby Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:21 am
I probably don’t have to say it, but just in case. When you get done listening or watching an Alexi ad–whether he’s on the attack or not–you wind up seeing him as a human being, probably someone you’d like to meet.
When Kirk puts out an ad–even a radio–it leaves you “cold” somehow. You’ll probably “grasp” the message behind the attack, but it doesn’t give you an option or a choice: it doesn’t make you feel like Kirk’s the guy to vote for instead.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:26 am
The biggest news to take away from the ad is the fact that it is being done at all statewide. Kirk’s polling must show some continued slippage and failure to shore up the red (i.e Keyes country) counties down south.
Comment by Verdicto Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 12:19 pm
Cincinattus says, “Let’s see them explored in detail as well as Alexi’s non-performance as state treasurer when his bond investments did as well as his bank”
As has already been explained ad nauseum (do conservatives have problems with reading comprehension) the investment portfolio involved several states, not just Illinois, but Giannoulias discovered the fraud that the bank was committing, called them out on it, and recovered as much money as he could for Illinoisans at a point when the bank didn’t have to give any back.
If you’d like to promote what ends up being a positive point for Giannoulias go right ahead. Then again, this may be why Kirk hasn’t delved into this more than having a few interns hold up pre-printed signs in an astroturf “protest”.
Now, if Giannoulias did all this while claiming he was getting shot at by Kandahari preschoolers in the process of being awarded the Fiscal Officer of the Year Award by the US Treasury then maybe you’d have more of a point Cincinattus.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 12:25 pm
Yeah, let’s not talk about the Bright Star funds loosing $150 million (only half of which was recouped) under Alexi’s watch.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 12:58 pm
…Reading comprehension Cincinattus, reading comprehension.
Answer this:
- Giannoulias wasn’t directing the fund, an investment banker was. So who actually lost the money?
- In other words, if your investment banker steals your money do you go around telling people you “lost” the money because you chose the fund or do you go around telling people the banker took it?
- The bank executives didn’t discover the fund director’s problems and neither did any of the other elected Treasurers for states also invested in the fund. Which Treasurer discovered the problem?
- Which State Treasurer then helped lead the fight to recoup as much of the funds as he could for his state?
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 2:51 pm
–Giannoulias wasn’t directing the fund, an investment banker was. So who actually lost the money?–
Who hired the investment banker?
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 4:18 pm
Kirk boosts himself up. Alexi hangs out with very “colorful” people. Okay. Choose the lesser evil?
Comment by babs Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 4:58 pm
Louis thinks he’s playing gotcha by asking, “Who hired the investment banker?”
Answer: Judy Baar Topinka, then State Treasurer and current no-show candidate for State Comptroller (has she even campaigned for the office? David Miller has been everywhere…).
JBT first contracted with Oppenheimer in 2006 after losing to Blago and just before leaving office. In her defense, it was a competitive bid process.
http://www.suntimes.com/business/savage/181439,CST-FIN-wwTerry21.article
But again with the lack of reading comprehension.
Louis, re-read my question 2.
If you had hired Oppneheimer to manage something - say, your vacation fund or your retirement account - and your fund manager willfully and knowingly dropped the bag would you run around saying you lost the money or your manager did?
Keep in mind, you were also paying fees to the fund manager in exchange for him promising to keep the accounts honest rather than pilfering them.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 5:32 pm
OK. I just listened again and figured it out. Stand by my initial impression, but here are the details to support it.
Find the music irritating (I think it’s supposed to make Alexi “sound sinister”, but doesn’t quite cut it so it sounds repetitive and therefore generally “obsessive”).
Find the “hissing” at the end of some words ending in an “s”, including Giannoulias’ name, “transparent” (even if unintentional) and annoying.
Even worse:
-”BINGO! PAY NO TAXESS!” sounds like someone “venting” over a second cup of coffee that you’re sorry you offered, rather than looking at your watch.
-”Thinks YOU don’t pay enough taxes” and “Higher taxes for YOU” not only sounds like something that annoying little girl on the playground who spent her time trying to turn everyone against one another would say–BUT also dissociates KIRK from paying more taxes.
Why didn’t they say “Alexi thinks WE should pay more taxes” and “Higher taxes for US”?
Hence…that nasty little girl on the playground who’s trying VERY hard to turn you against Alexi, while pretending she’s your friend.
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 6:27 pm
And Kirk almost sounds like he’s gloating at the end. lol
Gumby’s right on target. The current “image” and all of the Campaign’s “nastiness” are beginning to meld together to paint a very unflattering picture of Kirk.
Tea, Gumby?
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 6:50 pm
Talk about “ambiguity”. This boy might be the poster child for a “Republican politician”–per the Dems–after all. (snark?)
Comment by The REAL Anonymous fka Anonymous Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 7:05 pm
Rob_N,
So apparently when someone is elected he has no responsibility for his office when his predecessor screws up. He was the overseer, it was his responsibility. Or in your way of thinking, it’s all Bush’s fault.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 9:30 pm
So Rob N, once hired the contract never ever came up again for renewal?
All that spinning must be making you a bit dizzy by now!
The problem with this election season is too few candidates (including your beloved Alexi) are willing to say, “I was responsible for that” when things go wrong.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 10:04 pm
Louis and Cincinnatus,
The guy owned up to both the failure at his family bank, even though he hadn’t worked there in years, and the lost income in Bright Start, even though he was the one who discovered it and was able to recoup some of the money.
It’s not my fault you guys ignore this in favor of your GOP-colored spin.
But now, after pointing out that Republican Topinka was the one who awarded the Bright Start contract (which was Louis’ original question Cincy), Louis backpedals to switch the subject to claim I’m “spinning” by telling the simple truth and Cincy jumps in with some blather about W…
Yes, Cincy, when Topinka or W screwed up they ought to take personal responsibility for the screw up.
Topinka could’ve looked into how shaky Oppenheimer’s fund really was instead of relying on Morningstar whom we all now know was in cahoots with the subprime mess cuz they were making money off it too.
And, sure, W could’ve put some real regulators in place instead of letting his laissez faire pro-business, pro-bailout style drown our economy down the bathtub drain.
Instead Republicans blame Giannoulias or, in the case of W, Clinton, Carter or (even more bizarrely, as if the laws of the space-time continuum have no meaning) Obama for things that happened and that were done under the watch of Republicans.
Has Kirk’s implosion really left you guys that desperate that you think Giannoulias had something to do with awarding the Bright Start contract before he was even elected?
Once the Oppenheimer shenanigans were discovered and the pattern was clear Giannoulias DID cut the contract AND fought to recoup funds. Several other state treasurers involved with Oppenheimer didn’t see the problem til after Giannoulias pointed it out.
Sure, hindsight is 20/20 and we’d all like to be able to time-travel and go back to change things BEFORE they happened but HG Wells’ time machine is imaginary so Giannoulias can’t go back to warn Topinka that Oppenheimer was no good.
Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, Louis and Cincy.
PS - As long as we’re talking about taking responsibility, and as Rich has pointed out, Giannoulias was out right away talking to the press and public about his family’s bank after the collapse.
It took Kirk weeks to finally come up with a kinda-sorta apology for lying during the past decade… and even in doing so Kirk is already breaking his promise to be more open and forthcoming (he is running for a “higher office” after all) not less than one week later as yet more questions are raised about his habitual lies.
If you cats can’t take the heat, run through the kitchen as they say.
Comment by Rob_N Thursday, Jul 8, 10 @ 11:44 pm