CHICAGO - While Congressman Mark Kirk hits the campaign trail and airwaves claiming he will "tax less, borrow less and spend less," Illinois voters know that he has actually spent more, borrowed more and lies more about his failed economic record. 

"Congressman Kirk's new fancy political rhetoric won't distract voters from his failed economic record that led to a doubling of the national debt, eight million jobs lost and a trillion dollars of tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent of Americans with no way to pay for them," said campaign spokesman Scott Burnham. "Alexi Giannoulias is the only candidate in this race who voters can trust on these issues. He has put forward a detailed plan to turn this economy around and create the new jobs of tomorrow right here in Illinois."

Kirk Lie: I'm a fiscal conservative, and a "deficit hawk" on spending.

The truth: Congressman Kirk calls himself a fiscal conservative, but that didn't stop him from voting for every one of George W. Bush's budgets that took the country from a $236 billion budget surplus in 2000 to record deficits over the next decade.  When Kirk took office, the CBO predicted that the surplus would reach $5.6 trillion over the next decade.  But Bush and Kirk's irresponsible spending turned a historic budget surplus into a record $458 billion deficit by 2008. [HCR83, Vote 104, 5/9/01; HCR353, Vote 79, 3/20/02; HCR95, Vote 141, 4/11/03; SCR95, Vote 198, 5/19/04; HCR95, Vote 149, 4/28/05; HR4241, Vote 601, 11/18/05; HCR376, Vote 158, 5/18/06; SCR21, Vote 377, 5/16/07; New York Times, 1/30/03; Office of Management and Budget; Congressional Budget Office]

Despite Mark Kirk's claims that he only supports deficit-neutral legislation, he voted against reestablishing pay-as-you-go budgeting in the House. [HR2920, Vote 612, 7/22/09; HJR45, Vote 48, 2/4/10]

Kirk Lie: I've been called "Mr. Independent..."

The truth: From 2001 to 2008, Mark Kirk voted along Republican party lines 80% of the time, and he's stood with Republicans against President Obama on everything from Wall Street reform to extending unemployment benefits for those struggling in this recession.  [CQ Vote Studies; HR4173, Vote 968, 12/11/09; HR4173, Vote 413, 6/30/10; HR5297, Vote 375, 6/17/10; HR4213, Vote 463, 7/22/10; HR5618, Vote 423, 7/1/10; HR1, Vote 70, 2/13/09; HR4213, Vote 324, 5/28/10; HR1586, Vote 518, 8/10/10; HR2847, Vote 90, 3/4/10] 

Referring to President Barack Obama, Congressman Kirk told an audience of Republicans that the GOP was on the way to making "this guy" a "one-termer."  [New Trier Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner, 3/12/10]

Kirk Lie: because I vote to put Illinois first-- cutting taxes... 

The truth: After providing the wealthiest two percent of Americans with more tax cuts, Kirk opposed the largest middle class tax cut in the nation's history.  That's a trillion dollar cut for the wealthiest, and nothing for working families struggling to pay their mortgage, send a kid to college, and put food on the table. If Kirk had his way 98% of Americans would be paying higher federal taxes.  [HR1, Vote 70, 2/13/09; Citizens for Tax Justice]

Kirk may give lip service to the needs of the middle class, but his decade-long career in Congress proves that he really has the interests of the super-rich at heart. He supported Bush's 2001 and 2003 tax cut packages that primarily benefited the wealthy and added trillions of dollars to our national debt, and he wants to make the Bush tax cuts permanent.  [HR3, Vote 45, 3/8/01; HR6, Vote 75, 3/29/01; HR8, Vote 84, 4/4/01; HR1836, Vote 118, 5/16/01; HR1836, Vote 149, 5/26/01; HR3090, Vote 404, 10/24/01; HR3529, Vote 509, 12/19/01; HR586, Vote 103, 4/18/02; HR2143, Vote 219, 6/6/02; HR4019, Vote 229, 6/13/2002; HR2, Vote 182, 5/9/03; HR2, Vote 225, 5/23/03; www.kirkforsenate.com]

Congressman Kirk hasn't met a corporate tax break he doesn't like, and that's particularly true when it comes to tax breaks for oil companies.  While posting record profits, the companies received support from Kirk on five votes that protected their tax breaks.  [HR5351, Vote 83, 2/27/08; HR2419, Vote 756, 7/27/07; HR4297, Vote 109, 4/27/06; HR6, Vote 445, 7/28/05; HR3090, Vote 404, 10/24/01]

Kirk Lie: and pork barrel earmarks...

The truth: Congressman Kirk has voted for billions in earmarks during his ten years in Washington.

Kirk Lie: I'm running for Senate to stop spending money we don't have, restoring fiscal responsibility for our kids and the American Dream we can give them.  I'm the candidate who will spend less, tax less, and borrow less - to put Illinois back to work.

The truth: Mark Kirk's tax and spend record is clear: cut taxes for the wealthiest two percent of Americans and place the cost on the shoulders of low- and middle-class Americans.  After voting for every Bush budget that doubled our national debt, Congressman Kirk's new budget plan would add trillions more in debt to the U.S. balance sheet. [HCR83, Vote 104, 5/9/01; HCR353, Vote 79, 3/20/02; HCR95, Vote 141, 4/11/03; SCR95, Vote 198, 5/19/04; HCR95, Vote 149, 4/28/05; HR4241, Vote 601, 11/18/05; HCR376, Vote 158, 5/18/06; SCR 21, Vote 377, 5/16/07] 

Alexi Giannoulias is the only candidate in this race who has been talking about jobs since day one and who has a comprehensive plan to turn the economy around. We're glad Congressman Kirk is planning to have a plan, but it's too little, too late. 

After six straight months of job losses, Kirk voted against unemployment benefits, claiming that unemployment wasn't "a big issue."  He's voted against extending unemployment benefits 13 times, even when 137,600 Illinoisans needed Kirk to stand by them. [HR4213, Vote 463, 7/22/10; HR5618, Vote 423, 7/1/10: HR4213, Vote 324, 5/28/10; HR2847, Vote 90, 3/4/10; HR7110, Vote 660, 9/26/08; HR5749, Vote 412, 6/12/08; HR1265, Vote 408, 6/12/08; HR3030, Vote 18, 2/4/04; HR444, Vote 224, 6/3/04; HR2185, Vote 222, 5/22/03; HR1527, Vote 191, 5/15/03; S23, Vote 6, 1/8/03; HR3090, Vote 402, 10/24/01; Roll Call, 6/16/08; House Ways and Means Committee]

In February 2009, Kirk voted against the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which is estimated to have created or saved nearly 5 million jobs.  [HR1, Vote 70, 2/13/09; CBO, 8/24/10] 

In March 2010, Mark Kirk voted against the HIRE Act (Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment), a $15 billion job creation package that includes new hire tax breaks and payroll tax exemptions for businesses, unemployment benefits extensions, and funding for highway and transportation projects.  [HR2847, Vote 90, 3/4/10; Chicago Tribune, 3/5/10]

In May 2010, Kirk voted against the HR4213-the American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes and Preventing Outsourcing Act (excluding Section 523's "doc fix"), which extended unemployment benefits and Recovery Act provisions.  [HR4213, Vote 324, 5/28/10]

In August 2010, Kirk voted against the $26 billion jobs bill that included $10 billion for teacher job retention and $16.1 billion for Federal Medical Assistance Percentage [FMAP] payments. Under the legislation, Illinois would receive $415,397,841 in education assistance, which would support 5,700 teaching jobs, and $545 million in FMAP funds.  [HR1586, Vote 518, 8/10/10]

In September 2010, Kirk voted against the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 that would provide much needed tax breaks to help hire new employees and gain access to capital through a new loan fund.  [HR5297, Vote 539, 9/23/10]