©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Senate Candidate Airs Attack Ad on Opponent's Sexuality |
A Republican running for U.S. Senate is raising questions about another Senate candidate's personal life.
Andy Martin began airing attack ads across the state Monday that say U.S. Rep. Mark S. Kirk (R-Highland Park) is gay.
In the ad, Martin, who has run for numerous elective offices in Florida, Connecticut and Illinois, says "Illinois Republican leader Jack Roeser says there is a 'solid rumor that Kirk is a homosexual,'" Martin says. The ad goes on to say that Kirk should "tell Republican voters the truth."
But a spokesman for Kirk's campaign issued this statement after hearing the ads. "The ad is not true and is degrading to the political process. The people of Illinois deserve better."
The Illinois Republican Party also issued a statement denouncing Martin's ad. "The Illinois Republican Party disavows the statements made (Monday) by Mr. Andrew Martin in his statewide radio advertisements. His statements today are consistent with his history of bizarre behavior and oftentimes hate-filled speech which has no place in the Illinois Republican Party. Mr. Martin will no longer be recognized as a legitimate Republican Candidate by the Illinois Republican Party."
Speaking with reporters in Chicago, Martin said Kirk was engaged in "sham marriages" and lives in "some kind of an animal house in Washington with another gay congressman."
Kirk was recently divorced, but his ex-wife was present as he announced his candidacy for Senate and told reporters she backs his bid.
Martin, who passed the bar exam but has been denied a license to practice law in Illinois, says there will be additional ads. Asked what he had to gain from the ads, Martin said he has no problem with gays but simply wants Kirk to tell the truth about his personal life. "When you run for the United States Senate, the claim that you have a right to privacy is sheer nonsense," Martin said.
(Illinois Radio Network) |
|
| 12 28 09 by Newsroom |
Click here for the WGIL News Archive
Click here for national news
The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.
