PolitiFact | Mark Kirk

The Poynter Institute

English Español

Get PolitiFact in your inbox.

Mark Kirk is a U.S. senator from Illinois, having defeated Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias for the seat formerly occupied by President Barack Obama in 2010. Kirk was formerly a U.S. congressman from Illinois’ 10th district.

True

0%

Mostly True

0%

Half True

0%

Mostly False

0%

False

0%

Pants on Fire

0%

Mark Kirk
stated on June 15, 2016 in a website press release:

Says Rep. Tammy "Duckworth has been a staunch supporter of expanding the spending, size and reach of the IRS."

By Madeleine Doubek • July 21, 2016
Mark Kirk
stated on October 18, 2010 in a TV ad:

As state treasurer, Alexi Giannoulias "lost $73 million in our kids’ college savings."

By Robert Farley • October 20, 2010
Mark Kirk
stated on June 30, 2010 in a campaign video:

"At his father's bank, Alexi made tens of millions in risky loans to convicted mobsters. Then, the bank collapsed."

By Robert Farley • July 8, 2010
Mark Kirk
stated on July 8, 2010 in a campaign ad:

"Alexi Giannoulias' top aide was a longtime BP lobbyist."

By Robert Farley • July 8, 2010
Mark Kirk
stated on March 21, 2010 in a floor speech in the House:

"According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the IRS would need to hire over 16,000 people ... to audit the American people and impose the new taxes and mandates" of the health care bill.

By Louis Jacobson • March 29, 2010

Tammy Duckworth
stated on August 31, 2016 in an email fundraising letter:

"Republican Mark Kirk is outsourcing his campaign to a Super PAC funded almost exclusively by a bunch of hedge fund billionaires. ... I don’t have a Super PAC."

By Madeleine Doubek • September 28, 2016
Tammy Duckworth
stated on August 18, 2016 in in a speech:

Mark Kirk’s claim of national security expertise is "based on his military record which he lied about at least 10 times."

By Matt Dietrich • September 15, 2016
Tammy Duckworth
stated on June 8, 2016 in a tweet:

Says Mark Kirk "called for the mass arrest of 18,000 African Americans" and "was apparently fine with Trump’s #StillTooRacist call for mass deportation."

By Kevin Hoffman • July 15, 2016
Alexi Giannoulias
stated on October 15, 2010 in a TV ad:

"Mark Kirk: Lied about going to war. Opposed middle class tax cuts. And said unemployment’s not that big an issue."

By Robert Farley • October 19, 2010

Fact-checking journalism is the heart of PolitiFact. Our core principles are independence, transparency, fairness, thorough reporting and clear writing. The reason we publish is to give citizens the information they need to govern themselves in a democracy.

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.