Footage Of Illinois Senate Candidate Mark Kirk Making False Military Claim Surfaces (VIDEO)

Rep. Mark Kirk's (R-Il.) false claim that he was named the Navy Intelligence Officer of the Year in the late 1990's was made at a committee hearing before the YouTube era began, but the long arm of C-SPAN can reach back and bring it up as if it happened yesterday.

What is striking about Rep. Kirk's assertion in the video is that it appears scripted and thought out, which belies Kirk's recent defense that the false claim on his website -- that was only removed last week after a Washington Post investigation -- regarding the award was little more than an administrative oversight.

At the very beginning of Kirk's testimony, he makes the claim, which he has since confessed is false: "I've been in office just one year. Before that I was a Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer--was the Navy's Intelligence Officer of the Year in 1998," Kirk said in a March 2002 House committee hearing.

In today's politics, such transgressions seem to gain currency only when there is video evidence that can be played and replayed. Indeed, George Allen may be the Republican Senator from Virginia today if he had not been captured on video referring to a young man in the audience at a campaign event as "Makaka."

Kirk has been combative in his defense of his past statement, citing a 1999 "Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal" that he was awarded. The medal, however, is not the highest award that can be bestowed on an intelligence officer and is not given only to one officer.

Kirk, a Republican, is running a tight race against Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for an Illinois Senate seat.

Kirk also cited the fact that his unit was given the United States Navy Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor Intelligence Award. In an email to supporters, Kirk claimed that it was his work that led to the unit receiving the award.

From his statement to supporters: "The Giannoulias provided story inaccurately portrays then-LCDR Kirk as just one intelligence officer attached to one Navy squadron. In fact, as the official citation for Mr. Kirk's Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal clearly states: '...while serving as aviation intelligence officer for Electronic Attack Squadron Two Zero Nine from 10 April to 6 June 1999...He took charge of four deployed squadron's intelligence assets and personnel and forged them into an outstanding intelligence shop.' It was this work that won the nomination and selection of the United States Navy Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor Intelligence Award."

WATCH:

Comments

[mmonarch]

05:28 PM on 06/01/2010

Was Kirk in country, Afghanistan? Yes. Did he serve 21 years? Yes. Did he embellish his award record? Yes.
Did Giannoulias family loan money to convicted felons and mobsters? Yes.
Did Giannoulis serve? No
Did Federal Regulators close his family bank, of which he was Sr. Loan Officer? Yes.

Gee, who do I want in office? A guy who embellished an award or a guy who deals with the mob?

[drewtom]

06:02 PM on 06/01/2010

Was Giannoulas charged with a crime? no
Do you have proof he lent money to mobsters? no
Are you a rethugnican tool? yes

[mmonarch]

08:41 PM on 06/01/2010

Interesting, if the liberal Democrats insist that they are the "intellectual elites" why is it that you and they must resort to insulting and name calling? Is it because you don't have a valid point and it's the only thing you can do?

As for lending to mobsters, here, take your choice of links - oh and the last one is on WGN news and cites Chicago Tribune. Are you are believer of anything a Democrat tells you? Yes.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/04/giannoulias-family-bank-made-20-million-in-loans-to-felons.html
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?articleId=32169
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqo0ZuUe8OU

[calmerheads]

06:38 PM on 06/01/2010

If you had actually served yourself, had a family member who served in live action in the war you wouldn't so easily dismiss his "embellishment". Living every day with the possibility of being blown to bits is quite different service than being reservist at home. Both are honorable, but not the same. My brother served, actually served, and it was heart-wrenching knowing that every day could be his last. He lost two fellow soldiers in his unit. If you dismiss Kirk's embellishment you are disrespecting all of those who did actually see action.

[mmonarch]

08:44 PM on 06/01/2010

I didn't serve. My spouse did and HE is the one who said to me, if the unit is awarded then they ALL get the braid.They stick together. I live with a man, who is in pain every day of his life. A Purple Heart veteran who had his arm reattached and still has shrapnel leaking out every stinking day. HE is the one who said, if the unit does it, they all get it. I am not dismissing his embellishment. Kirk did 21 years and some of it in-country. So no, I did not actually serve myself. So?

[ColoBlue]

05:19 PM on 06/01/2010

Lying about military service really seems to be in style this election cycle, doesn't it?

[Ucan2]

04:58 PM on 06/01/2010

You've got to give him, there was no ambiguity in his lying, he was assertive and to the point.

I bet he's a helluva poker player.

[jerryatthebeach]

04:50 PM on 06/01/2010

If thats the only dirt they can dig up on him, he should win in a political landslide...

[AlteSoldier]

03:09 PM on 06/01/2010

FOX News did not report this too much if at all. Wonder why? Oh, he's a GOPer.

[lstl4]

01:57 PM on 06/01/2010

Another one bites the dust!!

[zetacplus]

01:40 PM on 06/01/2010

This man has no integrity but i'm not surprised. From my time spent in the Air Force, he has good company. Many of the leaders I encountered were self centered, egotistical, nitwits who only thought about their careers and how to get that next promotion...at any expense necessary. Many in the military are becoming disheartened with what's going on. It's run like a corporation where it's every man/woman for him/her self. The leaders aren't held to the same standards as everyone else and they are surrounded by yes men/women who are trying to get in their good graces to get promoted as well. The least bit of criticism in their direction has swift and dire consequences. Kirk's lashing out is how he handled criticism in the military but he has a lesson to learn, it's not going to work outside of a military setting that he has little control of.

[Ankhorite]

01:15 PM on 06/01/2010

Hey, HUFFPO: "Makaka" -- Wrong -- it's "macaca," and it is the word in Allen's mother's native language for macaque, a small monkey, and is used as a racial insult in her homeland. And, of course, by Allen right here in Virginia. :(

[morefromLA]

12:26 PM on 06/01/2010

The first clue to its inaccuracy should have been the word "intelligence."

[murphthesurf3]

12:24 PM on 06/01/2010

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? The intention to deceive, that's what.

.As Joe Wilson said: HE LIED.

And that is not allowed when representing one's military record.

He claimed that got an award that represented him as a super sleuth intelligence office. He claimed the award was from the U.S. Government it was not. The NATIONAL MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ASSOCIATION gives the United States Navy Vice Admiral Rufus L. Taylor Intelligence Award.

He claimed the award was made to him personally. It was not. It was a unit citation.

He then claimed that it was his leadership that made the award possible, something which the unit, its commander, and the association is not willing to confirm.

AND, he did not misspeak, he misrepresented the award in his resume, on his website and in his speech.

This is a BIG issue.

No one denies he is vet. It is all the rest of the stuff.

[drhirise]

12:09 PM on 06/01/2010

A dishonest Republican? I'm shocked, and appalled... I'm going to my room to cry!

[tangelan]

12:08 PM on 06/01/2010

I'ts quite bold to say that an award that was given to your unit was earned from your work alone (who in their right mind would say that?). He's just begging members of his unit to come forward and dispute that claim and share other bits of information that the Senator didn't want known.

[JEANO01]

12:03 PM on 06/01/2010

Where are the "Swift Boaters"?

[Petey131]

02:58 PM on 06/01/2010

Running around in their walkers.

[bmike]

11:53 AM on 06/01/2010

False information in a congressional hearing.Everybody wants to be a hero or Mr. Big.Sometimes even a intelligent officer is not very intelligent.

[MizLiz]

11:50 AM on 06/01/2010

I don't think Republicans consider lying a very big sin, since they do it a LOT.