The story of the day in the U.S. Senate race is that Democratic candidate Alexi Giannoulias has been doing some cross-border fundraising in Canada, of all places, reports Greg Hinz. Now, it doesn't appear that Giannoulias went to raise money from Canadians, so much, but rather was chasing the trial lawyers (how's that for a switch, someone following the ambulance-chasers) up to a trial lawyers convention.
Team Kirk was quick to do a little research and found out that Alexi really, really likes trial lawyers, and they like him. Team Kirk also came up with some good questions to be asked of Alexi, if he sticks his head up (he's been a little media-shy lately, it seems).
From the Kirk for Senate campaign:
The trial lawyers like Alexi Giannoulias a lot. Take a look at a few of his top contributors:
Employees of Weitz & Luxenberg: $21,000
Employees of SimmonsCooper: $75,550
Employees of Corboy & Demetrio: $82,050
Employees of Clifford Law Offices: $19,900
Key Questions for Alexi Giannoulias:
??? Why do you have time to go to Canada to pick up campaign contributions, but you don’t have time to give press conferences in Chicago on weekdays?
??? On your campaign home page you write: “Our voice, not their money…He'll take on special interests in Washington.” Is it misleading for Alexi to suggest he doesn’t take special interest contributions when clearly he does?
??? Will you side with your trial lawyer sponsors when it comes to lawsuit reform or will you side with the people of Illinois and support lawsuit reform?
###
UPDATED 7/13/10 8:30 a.m.: Here's some more fallout from Alexi's pursuit of trial lawyer cash across the northern border: Lynn Sweet dishes on Alexi's secrecy here. The Weekly Standard picks up on this and chimes in here.
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29 comments:
Ho, hum. That all you got, Rob?
Time to hit the re boot button on the Giannoulias campaign.
Only a few more days until Lexi is forced to reveal his Q2 results. They must be pretty bad since we have not heard a peep yet.
Congratulations, Rob_N. You've now been banned for life from Team America's Blog.
YOU do not know a thing about me, or my professional work, except what you imagine after reading my professional biography. And I don't have to put up with your personal attacks on my own blog.
Let me explain something to you - it's not about me (or you). It's about Team Kirk vs. Team Alexi, or Dold vs. Seals, or whatever race you'd like to discuss. I'm not running for anything, this cycle.
And for your own personal edification, lest you continue your attacks on my professionalism elsewhere, please remember that yes, I am a LAWYER... 'Nuf 'Sed.
Wow. A lot of people will be amazed that you got kicked off here before Blue Wind did, but hopefully everyone now understands where this particular line is drawn.
See ya over on Cap Fax, Rob. Maybe we'll let you come back after Kirk wins in November to apologize.
Thanks, The Management
I know that's now how you hoped this would roll out, TA, but RobN and some of the others just cross the line of truth and civility and tolerance. This ISN'T about you or me, it is about the Senate race in IL and the 10th CD in IL. Thanks for making it possible and tolerable for the rest of us to say on here and chat with you and others at long last.
I'm not surprised at the huge amounts of cash Alexi got from some of the best know PI firms. That truly is ambulance chasing in reverse.
Being in he pocket of he Trial Bar is common place for all Democrats, TA, so this isn't a shocker.
What IS a shocker is Ellen's incessant barrage of attacks on the Kirk property tax issue. What he and others at the Fort have had is a legitimate break that all of the residents living in restored units enjoy for a period of time.
Ellen has nothing else to carp on lately so this one sticks in her craw. No law has been violated, period.
It's a good day, TA, now that RobN is history. Thanks.
TA,
I dont know why you banned RobN as the comments are deleted, but I am still surprised that you did not ban FOLKLEAPS. If you want to be fair, you should do that. JMO.
As for Giannoulias, his links to the special interests of trial lawyers, do not mean much. At least he is not a compulsive liar and he has not been lying for many years on various issues. He does not have the integrity problems that other candidates have.
Dear Friend TA. THANK YOU for taking a stand by removing some bloggers and their posts. Like you say, nuf said.
Had a great Meet/Greet for Bob Dold, Dan Sugrue, Dan Patlack (on the Cook Co. side) and Sid Mathias Sunday. About 55 engergized citizens filled my back and side yards and listened to these great candidates. Mark Kirk was ably represented by his political director. Buttons, bumper stickers, signs flew out of the yard. The small children and dogs had a wonderful time, food and beverages were good (not much left) and all in all it was a very successful event even if I do say so myself.
Our citizens are angry with what's going on in our state and country and are fully on board in knowing how important it is to make changes that will keep our country strong, secure and moving in the right direction.
Thanks to all who came and listened.
Baxter and Beau's Mom
Blue Wind, Rob_N got booted for crossing the line one too many times with respect to comments directed towards me personally and my professional life, which have absolutely nothing to do with the political issues we seek to tackle here. So, forewarned is forearmed.
B&BM, sorry I could not make it Sunday - I was taking my son & friends to a Brewers' game. Glad to hear it was a great event!
I'm offended that Blue continues his tirade against Mark Kirk by continually saying he's a liar. Mark Kirk is NOT a serial liar, Blue, and it's offensive and just plain wrong for you to keep up that mantra. I'm sick and tired of your carping on something totally without proof. Kirk has apologized for embellishing a fine Military record. You seem unwilling to accept the fact that a good and decent man, a public servant who has done so much more good than not so good is going to be our next Senator. That's what's sticking in your craw, buddy, and your constant posts with the same old, same old is just that, old and tired. I guess you're the only perfect soul on the planet. I'm guessing you've never enhanced who and what you are. I'm sure you've gone thru life being the paragon of virtue. Guess what. Those of us who've read your posts know better.
Thanks for voting Rob N off the island. Maybe Blue Wind will follow him? While I always like to listen to thoughtful opposing views, those who simply repeat opposition talking points are more than a bore. Kind of sends me off to Ellen's Blog where at least I can see a nice picture of Mark Kirk and George Bush and Mark Kirk with Don Rumsfeld and read some quotes from Bob Dold.
1. It's not a problem rob n was against us, it's that he got personal. I stopped reading his stuff here a long time ago because it was hurting my eyes and they hurt enough having to read about the latest bs coming out of this state in the papers every day.
2. Mark is getting out more and finally taking the fight to alexi, theres a video of him on fox chicago last night where he torched alexi, more please.
3. There are a number of signs of campaigns in trouble-firings of staff, and after that a failure to lock down key party groups is among them. he shouldn't have to at this point go begging to canada for trial lawyer cash, particularly when you consider that chicago is the legal capital of america between the coasts for democrats.
FOKLAEAPS
ANON 9.30 AM,
I can see how "popular" I am here, no need to keep asking TA to ban me. I have repeatedly wrote that if he asks me to stop posting, I will simply do so. No need to ban me.
However, you should not be offended by my comments. It is not me who called Kirk a liar. I simply repeated what the local, national and international press has published about Kirk. Many newspapers in this country and abroad (i.e. British) have called Kirk a liar. Take your complaints to them not me. Or, maybe, you should consider taking your complaints to Kirk's campaign and Kirk. They are the ones who have been lying all these years. Think about it. Have you considered the possibility that they are responsible for their own lies? Just asking...
The point is, Blue, that you continually beat a dead issue and that's the complaint against you. Kirk apologized. He is moving on. You refuse to move on. The military people who are standing WITH Kirk in an AP story yesterday totally refute what you so callously want to continue. Have you read it? If not, I'm sure we can provide it to you. Bottom line, Blue. When you have something new, something relevant, something that bears posting, then clearly you should do so. But to continue your old, tired, tirade is just pointless.
TA wants to talk fundraising, so lets talk fundraising.
As of today, Mark Kirk has taken over a million dollars ($$1,024,562 to be exact) in special interest PAC money. Alexi has taken 1/5 of that ($198,888). Which one is the "mob banker" again? TA wants to talk about ethics and accountability, it's hard to believe that Kirk will honestly represent this state when almost 1/6 of his total fundraising is coming from interest groups, including $730,517 from business PACs.
TA, let's face the facts, Kirk is in the pocket of big business. His top donors include employees from investment firm Elliott Management ($91,200), JPMorgan Chase ($28,200), Goldman Sachs ($24,000), Highfields Capital Management ($24,000), Grosvenor Capital Management($33,800) and company-killer/buyout experts Madison Dearborn Partners ($62,400). After all this, which way do you think Kirk would vote on financial regulation reform? The same people that screwed this country by trying to game the markets, causing the greatest economic downturn in our lifetime, are the same people trying to buy Kirk's support. I don't know about you TA, but I don't believe in making the same mistakes twice. We let these companies run roughshod over the average person and electing Kirk would give them one more vote in the Senate to let 'em do it again.
TA--most smart political strategists will tell you to stick to arguments you can win. Unfortunately for you and Kirk, you cannot win on interest groups (or honesty and integrity for that matter). Kirk is in the pocket of legal firms and big business and their interests are NOT my
interests and not the interests of the people of Illinois.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
TA-- an additionto my last post:
Your article highlights Alexi getting contributions from the legal field. Hate to break it to you, but your buddy Kirk took nearly half a million from legal services companies and their employees. That list, which is just as long as Alexi's, includes BP defender Kirkland & Ellis ($85,768), Kasowitz, Benson et al ($36,450), Greenberg Traurig LLP ($33,259), Winston & Strawn LLP ($19,550) and Baker & McKenzie ($19,150) to name a few.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
I am more interested in what chasing the trial lawyers across our borders means in terms of AG's fund raising. I have a feeling that this, plus the fact that he has not yet released his totals are indicative of a candidate in serious financial trouble. Can you imagine if his fund raising is another million behind Kirk's for this period? The TV war could be reminiscent of what Blago did to Judy Baar Topinka four years ago.
@ Anon posters
The reality is that where the money comes from doesn't matter in almost every race. People are not making their voting decision on whether Goldman Sachs or a law firm is financing the campaign. As long as they aren't criminals, the independent voter doesn't care. So while you can waste your breath preaching about where Mark Kirk's funding comes from, the reality is that he has not become personally wealthy by dealing with known mobsters. Personal wealth is much more important to the voter than campaign finances. That's the difference.
CC - the issue isn't taking money from those in the legal profession, the issue is taking money specifically from the plaintiffs' trial bar, which folks are adamantly opposed to tort reform.
Well, CC, given your "logical" post then I think we had better impeach Obama, Durbin and every other R and D in office. You are truly out of touch with reality when it comes to talking about special interest money and politics. It's on BOTH sides and you know it. The CEO of Grosvenor is one of Obama's biggest bundlers of money. I can verify every single one of your statements showing that they also support very handily every Democrat you can mention. The long and short of it is simple. Money is the life blood of politics and it's bi-partisan. You can continue to knock Kirk's contributors but you had better be ready to do the same on your side of the aisle. Major corporations, people in general, spread their desire for access and influence, so climb off your high horse, CC and live in the real world. One exception: Trial Lawyers. They do not give a cent to Kirk because they oppose Tort Reform. Kirk supports liability reform. Get it. Alexi stands with the Trial Bar. Get it. So he heads up to Canada to reap more benefits. Get it.
CC, come back to this world called reality, stop being so self righteous and hard core in your Democrat ideology. Now.
One more thing, CC. Your idol in the White House stood strongly, solidly, adamantly with the UNIONS and stalled ships that could have helpd in the Gulf. Do I hear special interest? Your idol and paragon of virtue whose numbers are now tanking faster than a row boat with a hole in the bottom, stands firmly with Trial Lawyers in opposing Medical Liability reform in any healthcare legislation. Do I hear special interest. CC, you are so filled with your ideology and Democrat talking points that you can't see the forest for the trees. Stop your attacks on Kirk for doing everything exactly the way your side of the aisle does it. Is it right? The answer is obvious. I guess the only way to avoid any and all special interest crap is to have the government fund elections. Hardly a sensible way to do this. Go back and actually look at Mark Kirk's votes over the past 11 years in the Congress and then tell me that he's been bought by special interests. Go and tell me how many in the House have the courage to stop earmarks. I'll be waiting.
Concerned,
If you really want to have conniptions about special interest money, let's talk about how obama had drug industry, hospital industry and every major evil gop leaning business group in the room with him and their lobbyists when he was writing the health scare bill or how there were 11,000 lobbyists working on his financial regulation.
A.Bees-adam beeson? is right, candidates wait until the end to release their fundraising numbers because a)that's when a majority of other candidates who have bad quarters release them so it's easy to bury the figures b)they won't stand out.
Mark always releases his on an early weekday mid morning so that they come out without other candidates so they can get the most traction for him in the press. That's because they are generally good numbers.
Mark only has 4 million on hand-blago outspent topinka 4-1 and raised 30 million, that's nowhere close to the 9 million mark has already raised.
Remember mark has to spread that around multiple media markets in the state, and chicago tv is a minimum 250k/week.
The flip side is that dold's haven't come out.
FOKLAEAPS
@FOKLAEAPS
...and I was trying to be incognito... LOL
=== and I was trying to be incognito ===
Just don't let FOKLAEAPS know where you live, Adam, he likes to post people's addresses. ;-)
I think TA got the point I was trying to make: fundraising numbers can be intepreted to tell you anything. I posted Kirk's financial service and legal friends to show that Alexi is not the only candidate who goes to interests for money as TA's original post would suggest. In fact, the numbers show that Kirk takes 5 times as much from PACs as Alexi, which is a barometer of interest group influence.
Anon aka 'get it' aka Kirk staffer-- if you want to prove the point that Alexi opposes tort reform, then give me statements from him saying so, not donations. This argument like TA's is perfect example of a logical fallacy, specifically post hoc ergo propter hoc for the lawyers reading. If you want to talk tort, let's debate the issue. If you want to talk $, it's a weak argument and i've already proven that you lost it. Kirk's financial $ look way worse than $ from people that politically agree with you. There's a difference between supporting an issue and buying a senate vote.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
Mr. Beeson,
Glad to see a former 20k-a-year Kirk staffer on the blog. Maybe you can give us some answers on his positions, since your former boss really doesn't do the whole transparency/answer to your constituents/tell the truth thing. Anything you can add will be appreciated and will be more than we get from Congressman Misremember's campaign.
Until Next Time,
A Concerned Colonial
Let's remember that I haven't worked for Mark Kirk since 2003. I may know more than some, but there are plenty that know more than I ever have. At this point my background and experience is probably a better voice on campaign and media strategy. So if you have questions, go ahead and ask, but be prepared that it is quite likely that I will not be able to give an answer, but I maybe able to explain the strategy around the situation.
CC, I am NOT a Kirk staffer. I DO know what I'm talking about and will be willing to debate you on every last Democrats' opposition to Medical Liability Reform. You like to mumble jumble in your posts. You don't even acknowledge that both sides of the aisle have their campaigns filled with special interest money. I've written and called Kirk's office and I DO know his posiitons on everything and anything I've ever asked. Not sure what you're peeved about, but Kirk's positions are widely known so you are again spouting nonsense. Constituent Service is one of the high marks that Kirk's congressional office has earned over the past 11 years. You're just like the former RobN, Carl, Ellen, Lauren, all the Kirk bashers. Sad cases, all of you.
beeson you should run for state rep. after team kirk crushes team sopranos (alexi reminds me of jackie aprile jr- the hair gel son of the mobster who gets killed for selling ecstasy) in november they'll have 2 cycles with nothing to do but campaign for you. You could steal mark's campaign theme the way he pilfered it from porter and there you go.
I'm not jewish,cc, but I believe the term is chutzpah concerned for a democrat calling out a republican after yesterday's blago trial where his chief of staff basically said the governor screwed a childrens hospital until it gave him 50k.
No talking on corruption for you until we get a 2 term democrat governor in this state who doesn't go to jail, or 12 months without an alderman wearing a wire, or 3 years without the spouse (hey bob creamer) of or democrat congressmember going to jail.
FOKLAEAPS
11 years?
That's pretty darn good service! lol
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