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* UPDATED x1 - Duckworth response: “a lie, pure and simple” * Duckworth “whistleblowers” appear in TV ad for Kirk

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Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk is launching a new TV ad today featuring the two women who sued his Democratic challenger, Tammy Duckworth, for alleged workplace retaliation during her tenure as head of the state’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

A judge in Union County has not acted on the case, in which the attorney general’s office in June said that a $26,000 settlement had been reached with no finding of wrongdoing, only to see the plaintiffs subsequently say later that they didn’t agree to it.

In the new 30-second Kirk attack ad, the two plaintiffs, Christine Butler and Denise Goins, who work at the Anna Veterans’ Home, try to make their case to the public while an announcer accused Duckworth of “covering up the abuse” of veterans.

* The ad…

* Script…

Goins: She said to me point blank: keep your mouth shut and you won’t be fired.

Announcer: Veterans abused under Tammy Duckworth’s watch. When whistleblowers came forward, Duckworth fired and threatened them - covering up the abuse.

Butler: Director Tammy Duckworth was trying to protect Governor Blagojevich. I believe she put her personal aspirations ahead of the veteran’s care.

Announcer: Duckworth is a war hero. But she’s been a terrible public servant.

Butler: The veteran was not Tammy Duckworth’s top priority.

I’m Mark Kirk and I approve this message.

*** UPDATE *** Response…

“The story this ad purports to tell is a lie, pure and simple, and Senator Kirk knows it. The lawsuit was called a ‘garden variety workplace case’ by a federal judge, and has been dismissed in whole or in part three times. Indeed, the plaintiffs agreed to settle the case for what the Attorney General called ‘nuisance value,’ before Senator Kirk cynically recruited them to star in a political commercial. Tammy Duckworth, a decorated combat veteran, has spent her entire adult life defending our country and assuring that Veterans are treated with respect. Tammy gets her own health care from the VA, and she makes no apology for fighting to assure that Veterans are given nothing but the highest quality care. Senator Kirk, on the other hand, has lied at least ten times about his own military record. He continues to plumb the depths of campaign vitriol, desperately spinning yarns of his own military glory, while baselessly attacking his opponent’s dedication to our Veterans. Kirk’s claims are pathetic. He should salvage what’s left of his dignity, apologize to Veterans, and pull this shameless ad.” — Matt McGrath, campaign spokesman

Background info is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:01 am

Comments

I’m Mark Kirk and I approve this false message that will launch a potential tampering investigation.

Fixed it for you Kirk campaign.

Comment by Dee Lay Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:09 am
Protip: If the settlement hasn’t been finalized, be nice.

This would probably be a different situation if a youngish politico hadn’t jumped all over the opportunity for media before everything was finalized.

Comment by Anon Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:19 am
Obviously, the proposed settlement did not contain a clause prohibiting disparaging remarks.

Duckworth’s campaign messed up by making unwarranted comments that riled up the plaintiffs.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:23 am
I’m guessing the payment from the Kirk campaign was bigger then the payment from the settlement.
This could be the only time that a GOP candidate used a picture and quote from a State employee with out slamming their AFSCME contract.

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:26 am
pretty tough cutting ad against Duckworth. they should have let the suit be finalized before trashing the whistleblowers and spiking the football.

Comment by peets Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:27 am
I’m Mark Kirk, and I can’t keep from making mistakes during my campaign. My foot can barely fit in my mouth any more. So I am trying other methods to make me look competent enough to retain my seat in the Senate.

Comment by Big Joe Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:38 am
And Kirk is still going to lose and lose big. Nice try.

Comment by Chucktownian Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 9:51 am
This is an extraordinary ad. It cuts right to the bone. No matter who you back here, this one is well produced and well executed. It’s more than a “nice try”, it’s a devastating message. Ouch.

Comment by A guy Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 10:03 am
I thought the Kirk anti-Trump and Spanish-language spots were very good and deserved some money behind them. I don’t undererstand this approach at all.

The premise is a disabled combat veteran allowed abuse of disabled veterans. Sell it. Kirk even calls Duckworth a “war hero” in the spot. Great way to spend your limited funds.

What this spot will provoke, yet again, is a round of spots featuring male combat veterans ripping Kirk on his service record “embellishment” and praising Duckworth.

I don’t get it.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 10:23 am
This about it this way. Kirk’s been in either the House or Senate for the better part of last two decades and his entire rationale for reelection is that he’s recovering from a stroke and Duckworth was sued for $26,000. It’s really incredibly embarrassing.

Comment by slow down Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 10:32 am
“Duckworth’s campaign messed up…”

There’s the theme of the this whole campaign.

It’s a strong ad, especially acknowledging that she is a war hero, but that she hasn’t been effective as an administrator/campaigner/legislator.

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 10:55 am
I’m CommandoMakeItUp and I’m tryin’ this stunt cause nothin’ else is workin, Trump/Rauner draggin’ me down and

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 10:59 am
To the update: How this spokesman is still around defies belief. That’s a lot, a lot of explaining, and includes his patented “slamming” of another Veteran’s service, which the ad went out of its way to avoid. Really dopey response.

Comment by A guy Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 11:28 am
Now the campaign is calling the whistle blowers liars? Why are they twisting the knife in their self inflicted wound?

Comment by Thunder Fred Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 11:29 am
Tammy’s crew should’ve kept their pie hole shut and, for goodness sake, put conditions on the settlement that all parties stay mum.

The fact that these “whistleblowers” are talking when their lawyers put this to rest leaves me a little uneasy.

Comment by Jocko Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 11:37 am
I’m glad you are covering this race Rich. It is for a US Senate seat, it’s important.

But honestly, I find the contest between these two extremely boring.

Comment by siriusly Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 12:53 pm
“Tammy’s crew should’ve kept their pie hole shut”

Lather, rinse, repeat.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 1:11 pm
I don’t know who is going to be Illinois’ Junior Senator after this election’s votes are counted. But I do know that Matt McGrath is one of THE worst spokesmen for any campaign for any office that I have seen in several decades of watching elections communications in this state. Tammy’s a weak candidate and she needed a top notch team supporting her. She obviously doesn’t have that.

Comment by Responsa Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 1:18 pm
As said by others above, none of this happens if a staffer doesn’t shoot their mouth off and characterize the settlement in a way that offended the plaintiffs before the ink was dry and the judge dismissed the case. If that happens the plaintiffs are probably bound by its terms to keep quiet and not disparage Duckworth, and Kirk is left to try to make hay out of a lawsuit dismissed for nominal value. Instead, we get this. How does that person still have a job (if they do)?

Comment by Ron Burgundy Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 2:04 pm
What a boring duo. The Duckworth campaign is a big snoozer and seem completely inactive. The Kirk campaign isn’t much better, but this ad can stick with folks who don’t have time to read or understand the book (I mean statement) that the Duckworth campaign issued to the media about this.

Comment by Shytown Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 3:58 pm
I was going to comment on the ad, but I’m kind of stuck on Matt McGrath’s lack of ability to be a spokesperson. Is McGrath a veteran? I don’t think dogging a veteran’s service (if you have not served yourself) is a wise move. I can totally get Tammy and Mark going after each other on the subject, but I think MM crossed the line. It’s not the first time he’s done that. Just my 2 cents…

Comment by Terrible Towel Monday, Sep 19, 16 @ 4:25 pm