City Room™ - Immigration - Senate Hopeful Warns Stations to Cancel Ad

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City RoomTM Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff

Senate Hopeful Warns Stations to Cancel Ad
Produced by Chip Mitchell on Friday, September 04, 2009

Print versions of the ad, depicting Kirk’s face on a condom package, are running on three English-language Web sites and in seven Spanish-language newspapers.

Illinois U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s campaign is warning a Spanish-language radio chain to cancel an ad that attacks him.

Kirk (R-Highland Park) represents suburbs north of Chicago in Congress. On the House floor two years ago, he endorsed providing contraceptives in developing countries. He said it would help reduce illegal immigration from Mexico.

An immigrant group ordered an ad ridiculing Kirk for that suggestion. The group says it scheduled 35 airings on three Univision stations in Chicago.

ADVERTISEMENT: ...el envio de condones para evitar la natalidad en México...

The ad says Kirk wants to send condoms to reduce births in Mexico.

But the ad is now on hold. Univision received a fax this week from Patton Boggs, a Washington law firm representing Kirk’s campaign. The fax points out that Kirk didn’t mention “condoms” and claims Univision could face liability.

HOYT: Congressman Kirk would prefer to bully Univision Radio than to engage in a real conversation about what are solutions to our broken immigration system.

That’s Joshua Hoyt of Illinois Immigrant Action, the group behind the ad.

Kirk’s campaign and Univision declined to answer our questions.

Lee, Northbrook // Friday, September 04, 2009 @ 7:59 AM

Attacks on minorities. Interference with individual reproductive choices. Denial of people's right to cross borders. Intimidation of the media. When have we seen this sort of thing before? Oh yes, Germany, not so many years ago.

Kern roush, Somewhere between Irving Park and Albany Park // Friday, September 04, 2009 @ 10:27 AM

In today's edition of "Hoy" the Spanish daily, not only does the ad appear but on page 30 there is an editorial refering to how people are calling Kirke "Senator Condoms". He's not going to get out of this easily by bullying the media.

Andy, Chicago // Friday, September 04, 2009 @ 11:52 AM

Isn't this facist trying to pass legislation that would stick people in jail for 2o years for being caught with a joint (or something like that)??? Go find a new career Mark, you're not welcome around here!

Diane, North Shore of Chicago // Friday, September 04, 2009 @ 7:10 PM

Big deal, so he didn't use the word condoms...the intent was there...so it was unspoken...all the same.

JUSTICEFORALL, PIMA COUNTY/AZ // Tuesday, September 08, 2009 @ 2:28 AM

The Spanish News (Univision) puts words into this candidate's mouth and the author accuses him of bullying the news station! Pretty ridiculous. Sounds like Chip has lost his "chips" or maybe that was "marbles"! Or maybe he is just a traitor. While Mexico plans their phony Aztlan "reconquista" and teaches "Kill the gringo" in our public schools, perhaps Chip should look in the mirror. Spanish media is well-known for twisting people's words or leaving out words to try to make them look "racist" when Americans are protecting their country from millions of an apparent planned invasion (all part of the NAU agenda & Mexico's reconquista). People have no right to sneak into our nation just as Mexico deports their illegals (if they haven't already murdered, raped or robbed them!).

Chip Mitchell / WBEZ, Humboldt Park // Tuesday, September 08, 2009 @ 10:20 AM

Joshua Hoyt, not me, calls Kirk a bully in our report. I paraphrased the key portions of the Kirk campaign's letter and gave the candidate's spokesman an opportunity to comment further. He declined.

mark, Chicago // Wednesday, September 09, 2009 @ 8:39 AM

I don't get it. Kirk is exactly the type of "moderate" Republican that the media has said we need more of? Don't you guys all favor "family planning?" Wasn't Obama a hero when he reversed the policy banning federal funds from being used for family planning in Mexico? WBEZ has elected perpetuate a smear, ostensibly in hopes (by the reporter) that the Illinois Senate seat will remain Democrat? How about telling us a little more about that "immigrant group" that is running the ads? Who are they funded by? SEIU? Democratic Party?

ILvoter, Chicago // Tuesday, September 15, 2009 @ 9:29 AM

@mark Kirk is not a moderate. It is *not* moderate to say that less Mexicans equals less illegal immigration. (nor factually accurate, Mexico's birth rate was in steady decline during the height of illegal immigration to the United States). Sending contraceptives to Mexico is not a real solution to our broken immigration system. I expect that most family planning advocates would agree with that. Interesting that Mark Kirk refused to comment. Does he have any *real* immigration solutions?