In his new television ad, Congressman Mark Kirk doesn't just embellish his record, he outright lies about it as his campaign continues to distract voters from the truth.

"Mark Kirk claims he's a deficit hawk but he is really just feathering the nests of the wealthy by cutting taxes for the super rich while the middle class bears the burden," said Alexi for Illinois spokesman Scott Burnham. "As a stool pigeon for special interests, Kirk is more like a goose who's laid a golden egg."

Kirk Lie: Kirk is a deficit hawk who's voted to cut taxes forty times.

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: Chicago politician Alexi Giannoulias pushes for more spending, bigger government, promises to raise taxes to pay for it.

The truth: Alexi's comprehensive economic plan calls for several tax cuts targeted at small businesses and working Americans, including a payroll tax holiday for low- and middle-income Americans, an increase in the research and development tax credit, a job creation tax credit for small businesses, and many others.  

In his first year as State Treasurer, Alexi slashed the budget by $100,000 and found ways to do more with less. Alexi reduced his staff by 17 percent, cutting 40 jobs, and eliminated $800,000 in contracts. 

Kirk Lie: I 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]