Sun Times Demands Sen. Kirk’s Med Records, Ignores Jesse Jackson. Jr.’s

December 10, 2012 | Filed Under Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times, Democrats/Leftists, GOP, Government, House of Representatives, Illinois, Jesse Jackson, Journalism, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Media, Media Bias, Newspapers, Progressives, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Withchunt: The Chicago Sun-Times once again revels in its partisanship by demanding the public release of the medical records of Senator Mark Kirk while ignoring the records of Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.

For the Times, Phil Kadner is all upset that the U.S. government should be expected to pay for the medical bills and recovery costs for Illinois Senator Mark Kirk, a Republican who suffered a stroke last year and has since been making a steady recovery.

But the same left-wing Old Media hack isn’t calling for the records of Democrat Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., who claims he has “bi-polar” disorder and was out of the public eye for most of the year before finally resigning in disgrace just ahead of a federal investigation into his theft of campaign funds.
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VIDEO: Senator Mark Kirk on His Rehabilitation ‘Walking Program’

May 8, 2012 | Filed Under GOP, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Kirk really sounds good for having had a stroke only 15 weeks ago. I am so relieved to see him doing so well and in such seeming mental competence.

He made a very interesting video about his status…

He has a long way to go, of course, but he seems willing and able.

We here at the blog wish him good health and success in his recovery.

Kirk/Kinzinger Highlight Dec. 3rd Deadline to Mail Holiday Packages to Troops Overseas

November 23, 2011 | Filed Under Adam Andrzejewski, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Congress, GOP, Government, Marines, Mark Kirk, Military, National Guard, Navy, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R, Illinois 11th District)…

USPS Deadline: December 3rd

CHICAGO – With the holidays upon us, U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.-11) today joined with student veterans at DePaul University to highlight the fast approaching U.S. Postal Service mailing deadline to send care packages to U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East.

“This is the season of giving, and we must not forget the brave service members who sacrifice so much for our freedom” Sen. Kirk said. “Every American should make a conscious effort to support them in anyway possible.”

“Having served a few tours overseas, getting something in the mail from home – whether it was a letter or package – always reminded me that my family and friends back in the States were thinking of me,” Rep. Kinzinger said. “Our courageous men and women forgo spending the holidays with their loved ones to answer the call of duty and put their life at risk for the sake of all Americans. We must be especially mindful to show our gratitude for their sacrifice during the holiday season. Their fortitude is the reason for our liberty.”

GOP to Illinois State Leaders: There Will Be No Federal Pension Bailout‏

October 18, 2011 | Filed Under Aaron Schock, Adam Kinzinger, Bobby Schilling, Budget, Business, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Joe Walsh, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Peter Roskam, President, Randy Hultgren, Republicans, Robert Dold, Stimulus, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

This morning, Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (IL-06), 8 House GOP Committee Chairs, and the entire Illinois GOP Delegation sent a letter to Illinois’ legislative leaders and Gov. Quinn in advance of next week’s Veto Session. Gov. Quinn wrote in his FY 2012 Budget earlier this year that his Administration was considering “seeking a federal guarantee of the debt” for Illinois’ $85 billion unfunded pension liability.

They write, “we urge you to seize the opportunity to appropriately reform the State’s public pension systems to address their massive unfunded liabilities,” but “we can say with clarity: there will be no legislative bailouts from the U.S. House of Representatives.”

Roskam was joined by the Illinois GOP congressional delegation and Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers, Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, Education & Workforce Chairman John Kline, Energy & Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus, Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa and Ways & Means Chairman Dave Camp.
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Senator Kirk, Congressman Kinzinger Respond to Super Committee’s Spectrum Question: “BRAC” the Spectrum

October 17, 2011 | Filed Under Adam Kinzinger, Business, Capitalism, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, House of Representatives, Illinois, Jobs, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R, Illinois 11th District)…

Proposal Would Use Successful Military Base Closure Process to Identify and Auction Federal Spectrum for Deficit Reduction

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, four members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA), and Sen. Patrick Toomey (R-PA)) sent a letter to President Obama, requesting a review of how Federally-owned spectrum can be used more effectively to increase public broadband access while paying down our debt.

In response, U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) and U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) urged the Joint Select Committee Chairmen Patty Murray (D-WA) and Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) to establish a process similar to the successful Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) procedure in order to identify which Federal spectrum should be auctioned for use by the private sector.
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Kirk, Lipinski, Hultgren Call for Extension of Surface Transportation Legislation

September 13, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Illinois, Jobs, Mark Kirk, Randy Hultgren, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Randy Hultgren (14th District)…

Longer-term bipartisan bill could mobilize $100 billion in new public-private partnerships

Chicago, IL – In a show of bipartisan, bi-cameral unity United States Senator Mark Kirk, Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3), and Congressman Randy Hultgren (IL-14) joined representatives from the Illinois Road Builders Association, Operating Engineers Local 150 and other transportation advocates in calling for Congress to extend the expiring Surface Transportation Act. This legislation authorizes federal transportation projects across the nation, and allows the collection of revenues that fund infrastructure improvements. It was introduced in the House late Friday that would extend aviation programs through January and highway and transit programs through March. If Congress does not adopt this act by September 30th, federal reimbursement of highway and transit projects will stop, with $100 million in funding lost each day.

“Congress should quickly approve this extension legislation to avoid a shutdown of the Highway Trust Fund,” said Kirk. “We also support a longer-term solution by lifting federal barriers that could mobilize up to $100 billion for transportation private-public partnerships.”
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Peter Roskam, Ill. Delegation Mostly Disappointed With Obama’s Libya Policies

March 29, 2011 | Filed Under Adam Kinzinger, Anti-Americanism, Barack Obama, Bobby Schilling, Congress, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, Foreign Policy, GOP, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Liberals, Libya, Mark Kirk, Military, Peter Roskam, President, Randy Hultgren, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Despite initially intending to skip a public address, President Obama finally came before the nation last night to speak about his plans and ideas for America’s engagement in Libya. Unfortunately there are more questions than answers still and members of the Illinois congressional delegation are less than satisfied with Obama’s Libya policies.

For one, Peter Roskam (R, 6th), Chief Deputy Whip of the GOP led House, is less than happy with Obama’s televised appearance.

Even though it comes nine days after our military became engaged in Libya, I am pleased President Obama took the opportunity to address the country tonight. Unfortunately many questions still remain. Even with a nationally-televised, widely-promoted speech, Americans still don’t have the answer to a basic and essential question: what is the benchmark for success in Libya?

Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R, 11th) went a step farther yesterday and said that, even though he is not advocating sending troops at this time, we should not automatically rule out sending in American ground troops. “What you end up seeing is when you say we’re never going to send in American troops–you take away that ability to use that as a trump card or leverage.”
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What Do You Think? Gas Prices – Caused by Libya? Boutique Fuels?‏

March 11, 2011 | Filed Under Banks, Budget, Capitalism, Congress, Energy, GOP, Government, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Libya, Mark Kirk, Oil, Republicans, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Senator Mark Kirk (R, ILL…

Gasoline prices are up 50 cents per gallon just this month, now averaging $3.65 in Illinois. Why are prices so high?

While much of the price rise is caused by instability in Libya, another cause is an obscure federal rule that mandates little gasoline monopolies in Chicagoland and Metro East, called the “Boutique Fuels Rule.”

The federal government divides the nation’s gasoline market into 17 separate zones, each with their own recipe for gasoline. While we can buy regular gasoline in Peoria, only “N RFG with Ethanol” is available in Chicago and in Metro East, we can only buy “7.2 RVP” gas. If one region runs short, it cannot borrow from another region – is it any wonder that gas costs 10 cents less per gallon in Green Bay?

This map illustrates the isolated pockets of the country where the federal government mandates the use of the complicated boutique fuel rule. This balkanization of fuel distribution leads to supply problems and high prices. Conversely, some say the regulation is necessary for compliance with the Clean Air Act.

Mark Kirk

Kinzinger and Kirk’s First Order of Business in Congress: Get Spending Under Control

February 18, 2011 | Filed Under Adam Kinzinger, Budget, Business, Capitalism, Democrats/Leftists, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, President, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (11th District)…

Washington, D.C. — A little over a month after his swearing-in to Congress, U.S. Representative Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) today introduced the Spending Control Act, legislation that will force Congress to control federal spending.

“I’m pleased to join my colleague, Senator Mark Kirk (IL), to introduce legislation that will work toward ending the Washington spending spree,” said Representative Kinzinger. “We have tough decisions to make and the Spending Control Act will force both sides to roll up our sleeves in order to implement these solutions that will get our economy back on solid ground while living within our means.”
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VIDEO: Short Interview With Illinois Senator Mark Kirk

February 7, 2011 | Filed Under Chicago, Cook County, Egypt, GOP, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Mark Kirk, President, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

On February 5, 2011, I attended the Illinois GOP Ronald Reagan 100th Birthday Diner and there I had the opportunity to have a quick few minutes with Illinois Senator Mark Kirk. I asked him about some of the issues of the day, chiefly the Egypt question.

I also spoke with a few other GOP notables that night. Unfortunately, I only got a scant few minutes with them all.

A Snap Shot of Congressional Arrogance

January 31, 2011 | Filed Under Budget, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

POLITICO posted a piece last week that shows the arrogance of our duly elected Senators in Washington D.C. After reading this piece, one gets the impression that this good old boys club is not only one that not just anyone is allowed to join but one that finds itself beyond even the voters that put them there. It is an arrogance of self-assumed stature in this great Republic that is galling and should be.

The piece, headlined “Mark Kirk not sorry for Senate ‘end zone dance,’” was all full of the tsk tsking by nose-in-the-air senators that didn’t like the fact that newly minted Senator Mark Kirk was ebullient about the GOP having won a recent legislative victory. It was gauche, these senators said, not proper, completely untoward, over-the-top, low-rent, “amateurish,”and entirely eyebrow raising.

What did Senator Kirk do to cause all this finger wagging to be unleashed like a torrent in his direction? In a news conference Kirk put on a “demeanor” that amounted to “spiking a football on the decorous Senate floor,” after the GOP defeated the Democrat’s $1.1 trillion spending bill riddled with pork, waste, and earmarks.
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Democrats Slip Bringing Terrorists to American Prisons into Defense Bill

December 17, 2010 | Filed Under 9/11, Anti-Americanism, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Government, Government, Corruption, Guantanamo Bay, Illinois State Government, Islam, Islamofascism, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Military, President, Regulation, Religion, Security/Safety, Senate, Taliban, Terrorism, War on Terror, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Senator Mark Kirk (R, IL) is raising a red flag over the defense bill because the Democrat led House of Representatives and Democrat led Senate has slipped in a provision that would allow accused terrorists to be housed in prisons in the interior of the United States.

In an apparent effort to get around the President’s decision to ignore his own deadline to shut down the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba terrorist detention facility, the Democrat leadership included the provision in order to give terrorists and detainees in Guantanamo a place to go so that the Cuba-based facility can eventually — and sooner rather than later — be shut down.

Senator Kirk blew the whistle on this horrible idea and vowed to put a hold on the defense bill until that part gets stripped. Kirk appeared on Chicago’s WLS radio and told hosts Don and Roma why he wanted to put the bill on hold.
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(Video) Townhall Meeting With Mark Kirk and Randy Hultgren, Saint Charles, Illinois

December 13, 2010 | Filed Under Chicago, Congress, Conservatives, DuPage County, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Kane County, Mark Kirk, Randy Hultgren, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Dec. 11, 2010, I attended a townhall meeting held in the 14th Congressional District featuring Congressman-elect Randy Hultgren and newly minted Senator Mark Kirk. The event was held in the theater of a local high school in Saint Charles, Illinois.

The afternoon started out with an address by Senator Mark Kirk who already was sworn in for an interim term and will be starting his first full term as senator in January. After Kirk finished his opening remarks, Mr. Hultgren spoke and then there was some time for questions for the audience.

Kirk spoke for a strong defense, he spoke for fiscal responsibility and he spoke against the DREAM Act. For his part, Mr. Hultgren didn’t have much to say past his recently successful campaign talking points. But that is to be expected since he has not yet been to Washington to be involved in the issues in our nation’s capitol. Hultgren won’t take office until Jan. 5. Both men strongly spoke in favor of repealing Obamacare.

I have video of both men’s comments. I took the video with my hand-held Flip cam so it may be a bit shaky here and there. (And on the Kirk video I had to set the camera down for half a minute to turn my phone off as I got a call in the middle of his remarks. I thought I had turned it off, but obviously forgot to do so! So my apologies there.)

Here is the video of the two gentleman’s remarks…
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Rep. Randy Hultgren Townhall Meeting Sat. Dec. 11

December 10, 2010 | Filed Under Congress, Conservatives, GOP, Government, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Mark Kirk, Randy Hultgren, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

From the office of Rep. Randy Hultgren (14th District)…

These past few weeks have been focused on the economy and impending tax hikes that go into effect on January 1st.

Please join Senator Mark Kirk and myself for a town hall meeting TOMORROW, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11th from 12:00-1:30 p.m. at the Norris Dellora Cultural Arts Center.

1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles, Illinois (CLICK HERE FOR A MAP)

I hope to see you tomorrow and I look forward to talking soon.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) Delivers Weekly GOP Address On Preventing Tax Hikes

December 4, 2010 | Filed Under Budget, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, GOP, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Regulation, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Video, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

In the Weekly Republican Address, newly-elected Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois says, “Last month, the American people sent a clear message to Washington: spend less, borrow less and tax less to put America back to work.”

Sen. Kirk expresses his disappointment that leaders in Congress have not heeded this message. “The current leaders of Congress should not move forward with plans that were just rejected by the American people. These leaders should not raise taxes and risk another recession. Instead, Congress should reduce spending and prevent another tax hike on American taxpayers.”

Sen. Kirk emphasizes, “Congress should set its highest priority on preventing the massive tax hike currently scheduled to hit our economy on January 1st.”

He also calls for “bipartisan solutions to cut federal spending” and suggests some ideas for tackling the “mounting debts [that] pose a clear and present danger to our future.”

Why has Media Not Played up Republicans Taking Obama’s Senate Seat?

December 1, 2010 | Filed Under Barack Obama, Congress, Conservatives, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, House of Representatives, Illinois, Journalism, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Media, Media Bias, President, Republicans, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

Wouldn’t you think it would be a big deal if a Republican president lost his senate seat to a Democrat only 2 short years after he was elected to the highest office in the land? I mean, don’t you think the media would think that a Republican president losing his own former office to the opposing party would be a story they wouldn’t be able to resist?

Yet with the election of Republican Mark Kirk, here we have a Republican taking the former senate seat of a Democrat president only two years in office (and only two years after a Democrat landslide at that) and the media has been practically nonchalant about the whole turnover of that seat to the opposition party.

Just think about this for a moment. Barack Obama resigned his senate seat in Illinois, the bluest of blue states, when he was elected president in a Democrat landslide that seemed to engulf the whole country. It was so tremendous a landslide that many pundits in the chattering classes at the time thought that it was the beginning of a permanent Democrat majority.

A scant two years later, that bluest of blue senate seats went to the Republicans who themselves won a landslide of epic proportions wholly reversing Obama’s great wave election.
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Senator Kirk Already on Track to Vote Against GOP Interests

November 9, 2010 | Filed Under 1st Amendment, Budget, Campaign Finance, Congress, Conservatives, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Elections, Financial Reform, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Nanny State, Republicans, Senate, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

I said it during the primary, Mark Kirk is a 45 percenter. His record in the House pretty much shows that he will only vote with Republicans 45 percent of the time if left to his druthers. True to my worst fears, Kirk seems to be right on track with my predictions. The man hasn’t even taken his seat yet and many are assuming he’ll support one of the Democrat’s favorite issues: the DISCLOSE Act.

The Hill is reporting that Kirk is coming under pressure by the left to vote “yes” on a watered down version of the DISCLOSE Act, ostensibly a campaign finance reform law. The Hill also correctly points out that Kirk has in the past been a proponent of changes in campaign finance rules even as he voted against the Democrat’s DISCLOSE Act in the run up to the election.
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Desperate Illinois Democrats Dirty Trick: Funding Mailers for Third Party Candidate to Spite Kirk

October 28, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

You know that the Democrats are desperate when they pay thousands of their own campaign dollars in order to print and mail fliers touting the candidacy of another party’s Senate candidate! That’s what happened in downstate Illinois where the Democrat Party spent thousands of its own campaign money to print and mail fliers for Libertarian Senate candidate Mike Labno in order to stir conservatives against GOP Senate candidate Mark Kirk.

Rich Miller has scans of the flier HERE.

Now, it’s not a cut-and-dried case of misrepresentation exactly. After all, on the back of the flier they have clearly noted in a small notation that the ad was paid for by the Lake County Democrat Party. But nowhere else on the ad does it allude to the Democrats and the flier seems as if it is a legit Libertarian Party mailing. So call it mildly deceptive at best.

But it is clear that this is a Democrat dirty trick regardless. That the Democrat Party would fund a flier for a completely different party is telling. The Democrats know that Alexi is a horrible candidate and is behind in the polls. This is a desperate move to shave off some of Kirk’s votes.
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Illinois GOP Send ‘Shark’ to Spoof Alexi for Loans to Mobster ‘Jaws’ Giorango

October 21, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Banks, Chicago, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Ethics, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

Great political theater.

The Illinois GOP sent a guy dressed as a shark to dog Democrat Senate candidate Alexi “Mob Banker” Giannoulias. When Giannoulias was working for the Broadway Bank he loaned millions to mobster Michael “Jaws” Giorango. Naturally the mobster never paid it all back.

Hard to Believe That Alexi Giannoulias ‘Didn’t Know’ Of Mobster’s Crimes

October 13, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Banks, Chicago, Crime, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Alexi Giannoulias is well known as the “Mob Banker” for the fact that his family bank lent $20 million to two mobsters while Alexi was an officer of the bank. The Illinois Democrat’s Senate candidate has finally answered to this loan a bit more directly than he has in the past and his answer is simply a bit hard to take.

On NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday, October 10, Giannoulias uttered the laughable claim that he “didn’t know the extent” of the criminal activities of his mobster borrowers at the Broadway Bank.

This is a bit hard to take. Giannoulias seemed to act as if the two mobster’s activities were not as well known in 2005 as they really were at the time his bank gave these ne’er-do-wells multiple loans. Both Michael “Jaws” Giorango and his pal Demitri Stavropoulos were well known criminals by the time they were being served at Broadway Bank.
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Alexi Bails on Senate Debate

October 6, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Green Party, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Democrat Senatorial candidate Alexi “The Mob Banker” Giannoulias has withdrawn from a scheduled debate that was to be held October 21 at the WSIU studios in downstate Carbondale.

Giannoulias said that he was pulling out because the Libertarian candidate, Michael Labano, was not invited to participate.

“It’s disappointing, but these things happen in politics,” Yepsen said. “The rules we put together were that we would invite any candidate of an established political party. We’re not going to change the rules for one candidate.”

Independent candidates would only be invited to the debate if they had received at least a 5-percent vote in neutral polls, Yepsen said, and no independent candidates met the requirements.

The debate was to include Republican candidate Mark Kirk, Democrat Giannoulias, and Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones.

One wonders what Giannoulias is afraid of. After all, the rules for entry into the debate was known by Giannoulias when he initially accepted the invitation.
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What Does Illinois Think of Senate Candidates Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias?

September 5, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Chicago Tribune has some interesting poll data on the Senate race.

The poll also looks at the other candidates.

The Trib also has another graphic on the candidates you might find interesting.

Who is ‘Extreme’ Again, Mr. Obama?

August 19, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Barack Obama, Budget, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Economy/Finances, Elections, Freedom, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Harry Reid, Health, House of Representatives, Law, Liberals, Lobbyists, Mark Kirk, Nancy Pelosi, President, Regulation, Republicans, Stimulus, Taxes, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

The National Republican Senatorial Committee put out a good one…

It seems beyond question that President Obama and his Party are not in good stead with the American public these three months ahead of the election. A majority of Americans even feel that the Democrats are too extreme. Can the GOP make hay on this fact? This ad sure does a good job of trying anyway.

Temporary Senator Burris Challenges Special Election for Temporary Senator

August 6, 2010 | Filed Under Chicago, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Rod Blagojevich, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

It seems like a story written by a bad Hollywood script writer, but Illinois Senator Roland Burris is today challenging a federal judge’s decision to block any more candidates from being added to the ballot of the special election that has been ordered to fill the last few weeks of this Congressional session. Burris wants to be on that ballot but the judge said that only party nominees from the primary are allowed to be on the special election ballot.

First of all the whole thing is confusing. When Barack Obama vacated his Senate seat to take the White House, disgraced Governor Rod Blagojevich underwent a decision process to fill that seat that ended up getting him indicted. Blago gave the seat to long-time Illinois politico Roland Burris. Burris’ appointed term is up on election day but that would leave Illinois without a second Senator for the last 60 days of the legislative session. So, a federal judge declared that Illinois would have to vote on both a special election to seat a Senator for 60 days as well as the regular election for the full term starting after that in 2011.
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Chicago Mag: Kirk’s Ex-Wife Says a ‘Svengali Figure’ Influencing Him

August 5, 2010 | Filed Under Chicago, Congress, Elections, Government, House of Representatives, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Chicago Magazine has conducted an extensive interview with Kimberly Vertolli, Illinois GOP Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s ex-wife, and the woman makes an interesting charge against one of Kirk’s current campaign operatives, Dorothy “Dodie” McCracken

Vertolli says that the campaign staffer is the one that came between them causing their divorce and is a “Svengali figure” in her former hubbies life.

Vertolli refused to assert that McCracken is in a romantic relationsjip with Mark Kirk, but she did say the woman is a “pernicious influence” on the candidate.

Here is the exchange:
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Ill. Dem Senate Candidate Still $200,000 in Debt From Primary

July 30, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Campaign Finance, Chicago, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

So far, the biggest negative that has stuck against Illinois Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is that he is a poor money manager. The worst is that he was an officer in a family bank that has since gone under due to shady loans to mobsters — to the tune of $20 million in unpaid debt — and other bad banking practices . And now we can add another poor financial situation to Alexi’s already groaning deficit accounts: he’s still $200,000 in debt for his recently completed primary campaign.

As reported two weeks ago, Giannoulias has under performed in campaign fundraising so far in comparison to his GOP opponent, Mark Kirk.
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WGIL: Giannoulias Says He’ll Take Lobbyist $$ for Campaign

July 23, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Campaign Finance, Chicago, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

Despite claims made earlier in his campaign, Democrat candidate for Senate Alexi Giannoulias has said that he’ll be quite happy to take campaign donations from lobbyists as he vies to take Barack Obama’s old Senate seat this year.

WGIL News reports that Giannoulias claimed earlier in the campaign that he wouldn’t take donations from lobbyists. However, Giannoulias limited the scope of that claim to encompass only federal lobbyists and political PACs. He has taken donations from state lobbyists.

The difference between a state lobbyist and a federal lobbyist seems vague with Giannoulias, but he claims there is a difference.
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Illinois ‘Mob Banker’ Can’t Raise Money?

July 16, 2010 | Filed Under Alexi Giannoulias, Campaign Finance, Chicago, Congress, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Illinois, Illinois State Government, Liberals, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Hill is reporting that Democrat Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is having trouble raising money, which is amusing because as a failed banker he gave away millions to a pair of mobsters that never paid back the “loan”

The Hill reports that Giannoulias “struggled to raise money in the aftermath of his family bank’s collapse in April.”

Giannoulias has raised only some $900,000 since March 31 — the bulk of it in June. His Republican opponent, Mark Kirk, collected close to $1 million that same month. And Kirk was dealing with his own scandal — the fallout from inaccuracies in reporting his Navy service record at the time.

Giannoulias raised less than half of Kirk’s total, and the Republican now has almost a four-to-one cash on hand advantage.

If you’ll recall — and the Hill notes — that VP Biden recently ambled into town to raise finds for the Democrats “mob banker” but apparently even “no body messes with” Joe Biden isn’t able to help Giannoulias.
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Even With Troubles GOPs Kirk Raises $2.3 Mil

July 1, 2010 | Filed Under Chicago, Congress, Elections, GOP, Government, Illinois, Mark Kirk, Republicans, Senate, Warner Todd Huston | Comments Off

-By Warner Todd Huston

While the media has been all aflutter about Illinois Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s bio flap, even as the media has been sternly shaking a finger at the man he’s somehow raised $2.3 million in campaign cash.

According to the Kirk campaign he raised $1 million in June alone as the news over his bio inflation was at its height.

So far, Kirk has raised $9 million for the race and is starting some new TV ads.