July 6, 2004

Kirk Pleads Lewinsky Defense In Spy-Agency Charge: It Depends What Meaning of "Is" Is

Denying the accuracy of the Congressional Record, Mark Kirk (Republican, 10th District, Illinois) said he is not working for the Central Intelligence Agency. The Congressional Record, the official verbatim transcript of everything said on the floor of the House of Representatives, shows that on June 23, 2004, Kirk said he “is” working for the Central Intelligence Agency. Kirk’s Democratic opponent, Lee Goodman, pointed out that Kirk’s employment by the C.I.A. while serving in Congress would be unethical and illegal. When questioned about the matter by a reporter for the Waukegan News Sun newspaper, Kirk said the Congressional Record was wrong. Kirk said that although he used to work for the C.I.A. while he was also working for the U.S. State Department, he no longer works for the spy agency.

Lee Goodman, Kirk’s Democratic opponent in the November election, said he doubted Kirk would do any better with this explanation than former President Clinton did when he split hairs over the meaning of the word “is” in reference to his affair with Monica Lewinsky. “It depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is? We heard that one before,” said Goodman. “This time the charge is much more serious. It would be unethical and illegal for Kirk to be working for the C.I.A. while he is in Congress. Congress is investigating the C.I.A. on at least three major concerns: prisoner abuse, mishandling of intelligence regarding Saddam Hussein, and revealing for political purposes the identity of Ambassador Joseph Wilson’s wife as a C.I.A. agent. As a C.I.A. agent, Kirk has a conflict in all of these matters, and until now he didn’t reveal it.”

Goodman has called upon Kirk to resign his seat in Congress and for a full investigation into his service record. “If a Congressman has been secretly working for the C.I.A., the whole country has a right to know about it,” said Goodman. “Congress is supposed to be overseeing the C.I.A. Not the other way around.”

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