Building on yesterday's Chicago Sun-Times story that Congressman Mark Kirk embellished his role in passing the Iran sanctions bill, the Chicago Tribune reports today that Kirk's self-proclaimed role in helping to stop the Bridge to Nowhere is “not exactly” true.

Alexi Giannoulias clearly won tonight’s ABC7 debate by addressing the real issues that voters care about like fixing our economy and getting Illinoisans back to work.

Alexi Giannoulias clearly won tonight’s ABC7 debate by addressing the real issues that voters care about like fixing our economy and getting Illinoisans back to work.

1. Your campaign has continued to criticize Alexi on the bank but you can’t answer a simple question “YES or NO” on whether or not you were shot at while flying over Iraq? Will you now answer yes or no? Why is this so difficult for you?

2. Congressman, why have you designed a “voter integrity” program in solely African American areas? What specifically do you mean by saying the other side is going to “jigger the vote”?

3. Why do you continue to refuse to take a position on DADT?

CHICAGO – At tonight’s ABC 7 debate, Congressman Mark Kirk continued to refuse to answer yes or no about one of the most egregious lies he has told about his military service. Like a typical politician, the Congressman refuses to admit he wasn’t shot at because he knows an honest answer will further damage his credibility with Illinois voters. 

Alexi Giannoulias tonight demanded that Congressman Kirk come clean about whether or not he was shot at while flying over Iraq and demanded that he stop hiding behind his military fitness reports as an answer.

CHICAGO – Congressman Mark Kirk has yet again been caught in a lie today. The Chicago Sun-Times uncovered that a claim Congressman Kirk has made repeatedly on the campaign trail -- and just recently to the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board -- that he was responsible for the Iran Sanctions bill’s passage is in fact false. California Congressman Howard Berman, who was the chief sponsor of the bill, told the Sun-Times that Kirk “never talked to me about taking his bill and doing anything with it.”

CHICAGO - As a New Prosperity Foundation ad hits the airwaves repeating a lie that Congressman Mark Kirk served in Iraq, the Alexi for Illinois campaign demanded that Congressman Kirk come clean and answer yes or no on whether or not he was shot at while flying over Iraq and that he stop hiding behind his military fitness reports as an answer.

Chicago – Alexi for Illinois Campaign Manager Mike Rendina issued the following challenge to Congressman Mark Kirk today on the heels of the "Meet the Press" debate where Kirk again refused to answer questions about his military lies and whether or not he was shot at during his service overseas.

Champaign - Congressman Mark Kirk is lying to Illinois voters yet again today, traveling to Champaign-Urbana to tout an agenda that is as flimsy as the poster board he puts it on. 

In his latest act of claiming one thing and doing another, Congressman Mark Kirk touted several "priorities" today in Champaign-Urbana that he actually voted against as a Congressman, including university research funding, protecting Medicare, funding local infrastructure, aid to small businesses and cracking down on crime.