The Reckless Alexi Stonewall

From Kirk for Senate:

Kirk Campaign Urges Giannoulias to End Blagojevich-Style Tactics, Release Financial Information

“All of Alexi’s information will be filed and publicly disclosed prior to Election Day.” – Alexi for Illinois, The Capitol Fax Blog, 5/24/10

“Four years ago, Blagojevich did the same thing and filed a tax filing extension. He finally released his returns in the fall, but only the front pages. He left out all the details that would've shown where his wife was making all her money. Turns out, a big chunk of Mrs. Blagojevich's income was being funneled to her through fine upstanding folks like Antoin "Tony" Rezko.”

– Rich Miller, Southtown Star, 5/24/10

Northbrook, Ill. – One day after vaguely claiming he would release his tax return and financial disclosure report “prior to Election Day,” the Kirk for Senate campaign renewed its call on Alexi Giannoulias to stop stonewalling and release his financial information for the last calendar year.

“While Congressman Kirk demonstrated his commitment to transparency and accountability by making his tax returns available and filing his annual financial disclosure on time, Alexi Giannoulias resorts to Blagojveich-style delay tactics to conceal his personal finances,” Kirk campaign spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski said. “After reckless banking practices brought down Broadway Bank and cost the FDIC more than $390 million, Alexi owes the people of Illinois a full accounting.”

Last Monday, Congressman Mark Kirk filed his annual Financial Disclosure Report with both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Earlier this year, Congressman Kirk made available his personal tax returns dating back to 1999.

In April, Mr. Giannoulias announced he had filed for an extension on his 2009 personal tax return but refused to disclose when he would make his tax information available for review. Last week, Giannoulias filed for an extension on his Senate Financial Disclosure Report as well. In response to the Kirk campaign’s call for Giannoulias to release his financial information, the Giannoulias campaign said yesterday that “all of Alexi’s information will be filed and publicly disclosed prior to Election Day.”

In 2002 and 2006, Rod Blagojevich employed similar tactics to delay inspection of his tax information. The governor succeeded in concealing critical information pertaining to his wife’s income.