Sen. Mark Kirk, now running for re-election, is looking to make hay with his opponent Tammy Duckworth's pending workplace retaliation trial. But Duckworth is firing back, contrasting her military service with Kirk's "lies."
As we reported previously, Duckworth "faces a civil lawsuit from her time at the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs ... The lawsuit alleges that Duckworth retaliated against two state employees after they filed complaints against the Anna Veterans’ Home’s acting director."
In "Repeatedly," Duckworth's media consultants begin by retelling her war hero story: "She was flying her Blackhawk low over enemy territory when an RPG tore through her cockpit, taking her legs." The image of a downed helicopter is followed by one of Duckworth learning to walk with artificial legs.
The ad proceeds to characterize her post-war career as one fighting "to get veterans jobs" and to prevent "homelessness and suicide" among vets.
Having branded Kirk a liar, the narrator blithely deems the previous attack on Duckworth "desperate and false" and sums up the debate by declaring: "Tammy Duckworth sacrificed. Mark Kirk told lies."
Many campaigns stop short of directly accusing their rivals of lying. But politics in Illinois ain't beanbag.
As we reported previously, Duckworth "faces a civil lawsuit from her time at the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs ... The lawsuit alleges that Duckworth retaliated against two state employees after they filed complaints against the Anna Veterans’ Home’s acting director."
Tammy Duckworth Responds to Lawsuit Attack
In "Repeatedly," Duckworth's media consultants begin by retelling her war hero story: "She was flying her Blackhawk low over enemy territory when an RPG tore through her cockpit, taking her legs." The image of a downed helicopter is followed by one of Duckworth learning to walk with artificial legs.
The ad proceeds to characterize her post-war career as one fighting "to get veterans jobs" and to prevent "homelessness and suicide" among vets.
Tammy Duckworth Drops the L-Word on Mark Kirk
Then the narrator abruptly shifts tone, and lays into Kirk, "who lied repeatedly about serving in combat." (During his 2010 Senate campaign, Kirk admitted to "mistakes" in describing the nature of his service.)Having branded Kirk a liar, the narrator blithely deems the previous attack on Duckworth "desperate and false" and sums up the debate by declaring: "Tammy Duckworth sacrificed. Mark Kirk told lies."
Many campaigns stop short of directly accusing their rivals of lying. But politics in Illinois ain't beanbag.