January 8, 2004

Goodman Blasts Kirk’s Voting Record

Congressional Quarterly’s just-published annual analysis of congressional voting records shows that Mark Kirk (R-10th) voted with the Republican majority 87 percent of the time, and with the President 81 percent of the time. Democratic Congressional candidate Lee Goodman says Kirk’s record shows Kirk is not the moderate voice for the district that he claims to be. “Kirk’s predecessor, John Porter, voted with the President 54 percent of the time. Kirk hasn’t shown any such independence. He just goes along with what the President and the Republican Party want,” Goodman said. “He is not representing the people of this District.”

Congressional Quarterly is a highly respected independent non-partisan publication. Its analysis looks at key votes and votes where the President took a position.

“Kirk’s support for the President is particularly alarming when you consider that this President has been taking rather extreme positions,” said Goodman. “Kirk’s party-line loyalty is especially upsetting because the Republican majority has refused to even listen to Democrats’ proposals. Republicans in the house have abused their majority status in a manner that should be offensive to thinking people in this district. Republicans in Congress have shown utter disdain for the concept of open debate and bipartisanship,” Goodman said.

Goodman pointed to HR 1036 as an example of legislation Kirk voted for that was not supported by the voters in the District. The bill makes gun manufacturers immune from liability. The Million Mom March and the Brady Campaign opposed the bill. The National Rifle Association supported it. Kirk voted for the bill, despite his claim to favor gun-safety legislation.

“The only question now is whether the voters in this district will pay attention to what Kirk has been doing,” said Goodman. “Once they realize he has been masquerading as an independent voice, but voting like a crony, I think they will hold him accountable.”

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