Illinois Senate Race: Mark Kirk Releases New Ad "Kidding" against Mob Banker Giannoulias

At the same time that the NRSC has their new ad on the air in Illinois highlighting Giannoulias' Support for Higher Taxes, Mark Kirk has out his new ad, Kidding, which highlights how bad Giannoulias' would be in the Senate after the way he has been handling money as the State Treasurer in the Bright Start college savings program which has lost millions under his leadership. We would be remiss if we did not mention how Giannoulias also loaned money to mobsters as a loan officer in the family owned Broadway Bank (NOTE: Broadway bank went under).

Last week, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board slammed Giannoulias “damning non-denial about loans to criminals” following his appearance on Meet the Press. The Tribune also published a front-page feature on the collapse of Illinois’ Bright Start college savings program, which reported for the first time that Giannoulias and his staff were aware of the fund’s increasing risk but “at each turn Giannoulias stuck with the firm’s strategy, even as the housing market soured and losses accelerated.” (Kirk for Senate)

October 18th, 2010

Giannoulias Loaned Millions to Mobsters, Wiped Out College Savings in Bright Start and Now Seeks Higher Taxes and More Spending in the Senate?
You Must Be Kidding.

The Kirk for Senate campaign today unveiled a new TV ad framing the obvious question facing voters in Illinois – after loaning millions to mobsters at Broadway Bank and then losing millions more in Bright Start college savings as State Treasurer, why would anyone send Alexi Giannoulias to the U.S. Senate to raise taxes and increase spending?

Click Here for complete script and fact check.  Watch the ad below:




NRSC Launches New Ad in Illinois Highlighting Giannoulias’ Support for Higher Taxes

Tuesday, October 19, 2010 @ 10:10 AM
In Illinois, the NRSC launched a new independent expenditure TV ad entitled “Tax Hike,” highlighting failed mob banker Alexi Giannoulias’ support for higher taxes during the nation’s worst economic crisis in a generation. National Journal’s Hotline On Call reports:

The committee is airing a new ad using Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias's (D) words against him. "Alexi Giannoulias has a message for Illinois," the narrator says before a clip of Giannoulias rolls. "We need an income tax increase," Giannoulias says. The ad, obtained by Hotline On Call is significant because Giannoulias will face off with Rep. Mark Kirk (R) in their second of three debates on Tuesday:

Meanwhile, the Associated Press notes that Giannoulias is hypocritically avoiding taking any responsibility for his long, reckless record:

Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias describes himself as someone with the judgment and guts to make his own decisions, even if it means standing up to people with more experience. But when pressed Monday on decisions that turned into political liabilities, Giannoulias often passed the buck. His family bank doing business with criminals? Someone else handled that, Giannoulias explained in an interview with The Associated Press, and the loans met all the technical requirements. And the loan to shady political insider Antoin "Tony" Rezko? Giannoulias said he wasn't handling loans by that point and no one at his bank asked his opinion. What about his state treasurer's office putting money into a troubled investment fund? That's what the financial experts assured him was the best move, Giannoulias said.

We cannot fathom Giannoulias in the Senate.  We would bet that he would be another short term Senator due to ethics problems.  Illionois has had enough of that with the Governor and Senate seats so now is the the time to send Mark Kirk to the Senate and Giannoulias to the Unemployment Line.  Maybe some of Giannoulias mob friends can help him out with a new job that would better suit him.  Handling the people's money is not something he should be doing.