Kirk Tries Again to Clear Military Record Controversy

Rep. Mark Kirk once again attempted to resolve the controversy over his military record.  Politico reports:

Illinois Senate candidate Mark Kirk made a fresh attempt to dispel questions about his Naval service Wednesday, releasing a statement from his former commanding officer defending him from accusations that he had intentionally lied by claiming to have won an Intelligence Officer of the Year award he never received.

Retired Captain Clay Fearnow, who nominated Kirk for two awards during the congressman’s service in naval intelligence, said that Kirk made an “honest mistake” and described any comparison between the Republican’s misstatements and Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s misleading descriptions of his own Vietnam service as “ridiculous.” Kirk was part of a unit that won the Rufus Taylor Intelligence Unit of the Year Award, but did not win the distinction he repeatedly said he won.

Fearnow’s statement comes several days after the first report was published detailing Kirk’s erroneous claims, following a ferocious pushback from the congressman’s campaign that did little to blunt attacks from his Democratic foe, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.

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