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* Congressman Mark Kirk’s US Senate campaign has been plagued by strange internal leaks for months. And now we have one that includes a plan for a “Bejing fundraiser,” which was held the day before a House vote to close tax loopholes for companies that send jobs out of the country.
The latest leak is the internal agenda of a mid-May Kirk campaign finance meeting. Click here to read it. [Fixed link.]
The memo is chock full of interesting stuff, including his overall fundraising goals, regional goals, out-of-state goals, individual fundraiser event goals, targeted contributors, info about how much Kirk’s entire finance committee had raised to date, PAC goals, etc.
It even has a list of how the campaign’s Internet and e-mail fundraising was doing. According to the memo, the campaign had raised $423,687 by May via all its Internet/e-mail activities. Kirk’s website was bringing in the most, with $294,744. An ad on Drudge, on the other hand, brought in just $50.
* But then there was a curious item. If you can’t read the calendar, click the pic for a larger image…
Pay close attention to the May 27th event: Bejing FR. “FR” is a standard campaign abbreviation for “fundraiser.”
* The Kirk campaign says that the candidate held a “Skype” fundraising meeting with American businesspeople in Bejing, China. I’m told that 12 people participated in the event.
FEC records show that Geoffrey Enck contributed $1,000 to Kirk that day. Enck is the CEO of ITI China Holdings. One of the things the company does is investment banking for Chinese manufacturing plants.
* And then the next day, Kirk voted “No” on a bill to close a tax loopholes that would prevent companies from “using current U.S. foreign tax credit rules to subsidize their foreign activities .”
Now, it’s not like the contributions from Americans doing business in China likely swayed Kirk much. Just about every Republican voted against that bill. And the Kirk campaign points to a story from 2008 about the Obama campaign sending people to China for fundraisers.
But Kirk co-chairs the China Congressional Working Group, and he’s taken heat several times for his ties to the nation. He infamously told Chinese officials that US budget numbers shouldn’t be believed, for instance. Kirk opposed legislation on Chinese currency manipulation.
“When you hear Congressman Kirk talk about job creation, he’s talking about jobs he created in China,” has been a standard line from Alexi Giannoulias this year. And while the campaign fundraiser looks legal, there are plenty of American businesses over there who are, indeed, exporting jobs to that country.
* The internal Kirk campaign leaks have been embarrassing. There was the leaked memo about how Kirk would like to have Sarah Palin’s support. There was the “source with connections to the Kirk campaign” leaking the Navy’s memo about his “partisan political activities during his last two tours of active duty.” Last week, Politico reported on another internal e-mail about how Kirk was worried he’d be “the next moderate victim.” And then there was the Republican-only conference call during which Kirk bragged about his “voter integrity” program that would focus on African-American areas that ArchPundit got ahold of.
You really have to wonder what’s going on over there.
* Roundup…
* Kirk’s Senate campaign troubled by embellishment: Kirk exaggerated his role in the [”Bridge to Nowhere’s”] demise, illustrating a proclivity for embellishment that appears to go beyond run-of-the-mill political puffery. The U.S. Senate contest with Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is the first statewide campaign for the five-term congressman, and the increased exposure and scrutiny have introduced Illinois voters to two Mark Kirks.
* Crossroads puts in $4M more: Crossroads GPS will spend about $1.18 million across Illinois and in the St. Louis market on behalf of GOP Rep. Mark Kirk, who trails Democrat Alexi Giannoulias in recent polls by slim margins.
* GOP Trouble On The Last Frontier: In Illinois, the NRSC dished out $825,000 on ads on Tuesday, the same day that Rep. Mark Kirk (R) and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) faced off in a debate.
* “Half True” Mark Kirk campaign ads say Alexi Giannoulias lost $73 million in our kids’ college savings
* Dems ask black voters to help ‘our president’
* Giannoulias To Kirk: ‘You’re Trying To Suppress The African-American Vote’
* Kerry stumps for Senate hopeful Giannoulias
* Stumping in Illinois, Kerry denounces GOP tactics
* John Kerry stumps for Illinois Senate hopeful
* U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin lends support to fellow Dems
* Kirk says ‘We have to be the party of better’
* Alexi Giannoulias to Mark Kirk: ‘Were you shot at?’
* Senate debate focuses on character
* Gloves Come Off In Senate Candidate Debate
* Kirk, Giannoulias cast differences in relief
* Kirk, Giannoulias hit on social, economic points
* Kirk, Giannoulias dodge tough questions in debate
* Mark Kirk, Alexi Giannoulias Offer Ideas, Sling Mud in Second Debate
* Political Wisdom: Nasty Illinois Senate Race Equals Nasty Debate
* Kirk, Giannoulias Run As Fiscal Conservatives In Debate
* Illinois Senate seat foes get rugged in broadcast debate
* Kirk, Giannoulias Spar in Illinois Senate Debate, but No Knockout Blows
* Candidates Square Off for Obama’s Old Seat
* U.S Senate Candidates Get Personal in Debate
* Heated Debate in Illinois Between Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk
* Rivals for Obama’s Senate Seat Keep Up Attacks
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 12:35 pm
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The link to the memo is not working
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 12:45 pm
What’s Kirk’s fav/unfav among his own staff?
Comment by The Captain Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 12:45 pm
Working on the link. It worked before. Not now. While the new file is uploading, you can copy the link and paste it in your browser.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 12:47 pm
CommandoMakeItUp will be happy to know that Karl Rove just put his mug on Fox and was gleeful that he was mentioned twice in the IL debate.
Even though polls are tighening in favor of Ds in just about every state, KrazyKarl thinks the growing news media interest in his fake groups and their corporate cash are not moving numbers.
Suck on that pipe one more time Karl.
It is just like they really wanted more war
Fire,Aim,Ready
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 12:50 pm
I can’t wait to hear his response. We’d better warm up the polygraph. The punch lines practically write themselves.
Mark Kirk: “I was Shanghai’d!”
Senator Mark Kirk (R-China).
I’ll see your “loans to mobsters” and raise you “jobs to China.”
Don’t they train Pentagon officers that China is an enemy, that we should prepare our military to face the threat from Chinese expansion? I guess Kirk must have been off that weekend.
Maybe Kirk is trying to line up a job in China after the election. I’d hate to think we’d send him to Washington knowing that his heart is in Bejing. While I’m sure this is all perfectly legal, it’s still very wrong.
PS: Isn’t shark fin soup a delicacy in China? That would better explain the previous post.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 12:53 pm
Ain’t this how the game is played in the crossroads of global capitalism where they make rules for the winners? Both parties have pretty much played it the same.
Comment by Vole Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:04 pm
a pox on both parties doesnt work on this issue when dems voted to close this tax break for outsourcing and obstructionist republicans like mark kirk voted on the side of outsourcers and against americans
Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:15 pm
Somebody should tell Alexi that bringing up Rove maybe once during an appropriate soliloquy could have been considered a zinger. Invoking Rove 3 or 4 times out of the blue at entirely IN-appropriate points in the debate just looked silly and juvenile and undisciplined and off-message.
Alexi’s seeming inability to search within to ever be able to find the teensiest fault with himself, or his decisions–or to be man enough to at least tell parents and grandparents that he feels sorta bad about the Bright Start losses and the pain that caused, further erodes his credibility and weakened his showing last night. His handlers cannot have been thrilled with Alexi’s performance. (And if they were happy with his performance that is even worse for him because it suggests he is not getting sound professional advice related to his image issues.) Giannoulias needed to capture some independents. In my estimation he did not succeed in doing that last night.
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:28 pm
The day after the debate and this is what passes for news here?
C’mon.
China controls (directly or indirectly) 90% of all of the world’s natural resources not to mention that they practically OWN our country through the purchase of our debt. I think most people are smart enough to understand that China is a major player in the world economy now and that won’t change.
I know a few people in the construction trades who have gone over to China to work because there is tremendous opportunity there. The jobs aren’t coming back here for a long time. The smart people know that.
Comment by Logical Thinker Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:30 pm
Remember the John Edwards staffers saying the inner circle had a secret plan to derail Edwards’ campaign for the Dem nomination b/c of the scandal in his closet?
Seems like that might be the case with Kirk’s campaign.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:31 pm
Responsa –
Worst attempt to change the subject I’ve ever seen…
Comment by Bardo2 Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:34 pm
From watching last night’s debate and reading this recent china thing I still don’t understand how people can trust kirk. I found him to be very rude and offensive in the debate it’s like he talks down to people, and I didn’t appreciate how stuck up he sounded. He has been in washington d.c. for many years and he should know about policys and how to talk so i wasn’t impressed with all his big words and bills worked on etc… bottom line there is something not right with him he owes to many people to many different things and I just don’t trust him. Everyone has their own opinions and I respect that, but when I think about my children and their future I feel compelled to say how i feel. Alexi has my vote and after that debate it confirmed it!
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:38 pm
I’m guessing Kirk leaked the calendar himself to show off his weekend reservist duty.
Comment by Ellen Beth Gill Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:40 pm
Bardo, perhaps you did not notice that CFS brought up Mr. Rove’s name upthread. Sorry if you feel a response to that earlier comment is somehow changing the subject from whatever it is YOU would prefer to talk about (or not talk about).
Comment by Responsa Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:42 pm
Strange that Kirk hasn’t been able to figure out who in his campaign is out to get him.
–China controls (directly or indirectly) 90% of all of the world’s natural resources not to mention that they practically OWN our country through the purchase of our debt.–
Care to elaborate, LOL. Sorry, I can’t let that one pass. What in the world are you talking about?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:49 pm
I reread the story again to see if I missed anything. Nope.
I still don’t get it. Do we really want a trade war with China? Are we supposed to believe that China doesn’t exist? For crying out loud, US based companies (and to some extent our stock market) are being bouyed by our EXPORTS to countries like China.
So a candidate is in China talking to businessmen. Does this mean we should ask Alexi about his trips to Greece and if he ever went in an official capacity? That would be interesting.
Comment by Logical Thinker Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:50 pm
I imagine right now there is a busy Alexi G staffer busily Googling the names of everyone on Kirk’s Finance Committee to get dirt on them.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:53 pm
Very simply Wordslinger,
China controls 90% of the natural resources. They either process them in their country or Chinese companies own stakes in these businesses throughout the world. It is a scary but true fact. China and chinese companies are becoming a monopoly when it comes to this.
Comment by Logical Thinker Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:57 pm
there can’t be very many people in his campaign who have access to political intelligence, field work, finance, press stuff. goldberg, elk, mccracken, that’s it. all 3 owe their careers to him. mccracken however had a nasty spat with his exwife last july in the papers.
it’s also worth pointing out this isn’t the first time his stuff has been hacked. the chinese government hacked his congressional office in 2005.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cs_20081220_6787.php
Comment by shore Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 1:57 pm
Here’s a question that strikes me.
If someone inside the Kirk campaign is leaking–and that’s clearly happening–why isn’t this person sending the leaks to the Chicago Tribune or Sun-Times?
Speculation: the person did contact the Trib and Sun-Times who made it clear they weren’t interested in breaking anti-Kirk stories.
This is why the stories about Kirk lying about his military record and teaching experience broke in the Washington Post and NYT. The Sun-Times and especially the Trib, are actively protecting Kirk.
I fed a good part of the Kirk military record story to a local journalist two weeks before it broke in the Washington Post and said journalist hadn’t done anything with the story until it broke in the Washington Post.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:03 pm
拍摄足部自我。
Comment by Jo Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:04 pm
Some proof to back up my statement:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704062804575510112116972510.html?mod=WSJ_World_LEFTSecondNews
“While rare-earth ore deposits are found around the globe, China’s dominance in mining and processing the elements has raised alarms in Washington. According to an April 2010 Government Accountability Office report, China now produces approximately 97% of the world’s rare-earth oxides, the raw materials that can be further refined into metals and blended into alloys that can be made into finished components.”
This does not get into oil or logging operations where Chinese companies have been buying large stakes lately. Petrobas, the 4th largest oil company in the world, located in Brazil is owned by whom?
You guessed it: The Chinese.
Who’s building the pipelines in Russia? Where do you think all this money is coming from?
Comment by Logical Thinker Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:06 pm
Maybe it is the ex-wife leaking it, shore…
Comment by Jo Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:06 pm
Rich - check out the translation before you delete it!
Comment by Jo Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:06 pm
I did. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:07 pm
Logical, out of the first 21 comments, you made four of them… and didn’t say much about the matter being discussed.
You seem to be more interested in changing the subject than discussing whether Kirk engaged in a quid pro quo of campaign contributions in exchange for voting for tax breaks for U.S. businesses in China.
Logical, listen more, talk less.
Either get on topic or get your own blog.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:11 pm
By the way, it’s spelled “BEIJING”…not Bejing.
Comment by JOE SCHMOE Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:22 pm
rich knows, archpundit knows, politico knows who the leaker is.
Comment by shore Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:27 pm
I heard the Soupport our president ad. After shaking my head, I thouhght it was from the NAACP before I heard who put the thing out.
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:29 pm
logical - what is your and mark kirks solution? just accept our fate as a fallen empire and give the chinese what they want hoping they go easy on us? give me a break.
we are already in a trade war with china. them devaluing their currency and sending us poisoned baby food and toothpaste and pet food and drywall and toys is evidence of that. its just that mark kirk is on the side of COMMUNIST china and he is getting rewarded with tons of chinese chamber of commerce attack ads on alexi as a result.
btw not to get to manchurian candidate on anyone but isnt it just a little disconcerting mr navy intelligence officer of the year is this in bed with china?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:29 pm
@Jo 14:04
You Think!
This will make a big difference in the late innings.
Lets see Kirk try to lie his way out of this.
I sure he will try!
Comment by (618) Democrat Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 2:50 pm
Il-Logical Thinker-
The question isn’t whether the Chinese are a super power, it’s whether our elected representatives should be their interests over those of the citizens they represent? Get a clue.
Comment by Wizard of Ozzie Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 3:13 pm
Mark Kirk set up the U.S.-China working group a few years ago. The first major event (and many other following ones) the group did featured United Airlines (whose headquarters is in Chicago) and the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Kirk is doing it to get $$$ from U.S. big corporations.
Comment by BeijingAnon Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 3:46 pm
Kirk, for one, welcomes our new Chinese overlords. He’d like to remind them that as a trusted member of the US Senate, he could be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.
Comment by Pangloss Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 4:09 pm
October Surprise!
Comment by EazyTurner Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 4:24 pm
It should be pretty easy to figure out, you create a matrix with who had access to that information and then play elimination until you find the culprit.
Comment by shore Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 4:40 pm
Gee, when Rich Daley goes to China for a business trip, Democrats fall silent. No one even asks who paid for that trip and the many others he has taken since becoming Mayor.
Funny how that works!
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 5:08 pm
I am fascinated by the Edwards/Kirk comparison and all this leaking … there is some “there” there … I mean, at this point SOMEONE has to know who could have known ALL this information and narrow it down … something smells rotten in Denmark….
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 5:34 pm
–China controls 90% of the natural resources. –
Dude, that doesn’t even pass the eyeball test, much less any analysis.
It reminds me, though, of a guy I used to work with whose parents were survivalists in Vermont.
Their dealio was that Chinese and southeast Asians manufactured most of the world’s shoes. Through careful manufacture of the shoes’ interiors, they were able to pull off some kind of foot-massage, mind-control, Manchurian Candidate dominance of, I’m guessing, 90% of the planet.
They sold firewood for a living and had a couple of cool Crown Vics on blocks in the yard. You don’t really think of New England that way, but it’s not out of the question in Vermont.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 5:46 pm
Don’t forget the gravity.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 5:48 pm
Do we become conspiracy theorists … or realize these leaks are happing because … you said it,… the rent is too …
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 5:58 pm
You made the front page of the Great Orange Satan, Mr. Miller. Welcome the Angry Left accordingly!
Comment by Lefty Lefty Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 6:02 pm
Yeah, I just saw that pop up on Google News. Wunnerful.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 6:05 pm
–It should be pretty easy to figure out, you create a matrix with who had access to that information and then play elimination until you find the culprit.–
I knew it! The Matrix! Given Kirk’s self-image, he’s Neo, right?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 6:07 pm
“(And if they were happy with his performance that is even worse for him because it suggests he is not getting sound professional advice related to his image issues.)”
Ummm…were you referring to Alexi and his camp or Kirk and his, Responsa?
Just asking. Seems to apply to both, but you can’t seem to see that. And round and round it goes.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 7:15 pm
“In a world of shady banking, interantional travel, and bad European Basketball, we find Jason Bourne, infiltrating an agency that can not be cracked, unless you ask if it were shot at, or won made up awards … that agency? The Mark Kirk campaign.
Will the leaks continue, or will the Land Shark eat Alexi, while Kirk takes credit for getting a ‘Bigger’ Boat’? We, the voters, find Bourne smack dab in the middle of the 4th chapter of the Jason Bourne saga ‘The Bourne Lunacy’ … starring Mark Kirk, as someone even bigger than Mark Kirk … and Alexi as Dennis Rodman, but Greek … and Dustin “Screech” Diamond as … Jason Bourne, the Leak”
Ending November 3rd at a ballot box near you.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 7:21 pm
Illinois just never had it this good before, Willy. Just one election…and so much material for not only a few great novels that will make it to the big screen, but a few made-for-TV-movies, too!
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 7:33 pm
=the chinese government hacked his congressional office in 2005.=
Or maybe it was just someone in China who also wanted to “spat”.
(Romeo, you have to stop throwing those pebbles around. You’re becoming an international terror. lol)
(Good one, BTW, Jo…the translation (order of words especially) is funny.)
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 7:44 pm
I’m only surprised that the Giannoulias campaign hasn’t pulled one specific clip out of the interviews in China and used it in ads. It’s kind of funny, and it deals with “body language”.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 7:51 pm
Game over.
Comment by RFK fan Wednesday, Oct 20, 10 @ 10:42 pm
LT, I was wondering where my rare-earth oxides went.
Do the Chinese control 90% of the world’s oil, coal, fresh water, timber, grain, etc., as well?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Oct 21, 10 @ 7:39 am