Ex-Wife Accuses Illinois Sen. of Hiding Over $140K in Payments to Live-In Girlfriend/Campaign Aide
- Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:40pm by
Becket Adams
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Illinois Senator Mark Kirk (R) has been accused by his ex-wife, Kimberly Vertolli, of breaking campaign finance laws for not fully disclosing payments of more than $143,000 to his then-live-in girlfriend and campaign aide, Dodie McCracken.
But wait! It gets weirder. Vertolli herself was hired as a lawyer for the Kirk campaign and paid $40,000.
So — Kirk hired his ex-wife to work alongside his current girlfriend? What could possibly go wrong?
Happier times: Mark Kirk and Kimberly Vertolli divorced amicably in 2009, but she said that it was the excessive ‘Svengali’-esque rule that PR consultant Dodie McCracken had over him that caused their split (via Daily Mail)
According to the complaint filed with Federal Election Commission, the Illinois Senator never paid McCracken directly but instead used a third party.
“Though it is legal for a candidate to pay a spouse or friend for work on a governmental campaign, Ms Vertolli is now raising questions about the timing of those payments,” the Daily Mail notes.
Why would the timing be odd? Well, you see, Vertolli and McCracken have a history.
The Illinois senator divorced his wife in July 2009 when he was still a Congressman. The divorce was “amicable,” according to reports at the time.
However, in a 2010 interview, Vertolli told the world how she really felt about McCracken.
“[W]hen Ms Vertolli was interviewed by Chicago Magazine [she] said that she felt that her ex was too easily influenced by Ms McCracken, who she said was a ‘Svengali figure,’” the Daily reports.
“In the interview, Ms Vertolli said that Ms McCracken, who had Mr Kirk as one of her clients before she and her ex were even married, was ‘a pernicious force on his team who is wielding a disproportionate amount of negative influence,’” the report adds.
But if you think that’s bad, here’s the kicker: Vertolli blames McCracken for the divorce.
“Mark could either stay married to me, or she could find another place. But there wasn’t enough room for the two of us to stay in Mark’s life,” Vertolli said.
“Unfortunately, she never left. When Mark decided to run for the Senate, she shifted most of her attention [from other clients] to trying to control Mark and the direction of Mark’s campaign,” she added.
So why in the world would the Kirk campaign put Vertolli in the same room with McCracken? According to the senator’s ex-wife, it was to get her to shut up about his girlfriend.
Vertolli claims that although her payments were also not listed with her name it was legitimate (unlike the payments to McCracken).
“Ms Vertolli told The Chicago Tribue that $40,000 was deposited into an ‘obscure corporate entity’ after Mr Kirk won the election,” the Daily reports.
Suspicious: Kimberly Vertolli thinks that she was just hired by her ex’s campaign to stop her from badmouthing his relationship with McCracken (via Daily Mail)
“While technically that may be legal, she now thinks the money was merely a ruse to ‘get me to be quiet about my misgivings about McCracken,’” the report adds.
The campaign staff for Sen. Kirk has criticized the complaint.
“While Sen. Kirk and Ms. Vertolli divorced amicably three years ago and she actively supported Mr. Kirk’s 2010 Senate campaign, Ms. Vertolli has since filed a groundless complaint consisting of bitter personal attacks and is attempting to involve a federal agency in a divorce settled 36 months ago,” the senator’s campaign manager Eric Elk told The Tribune.
“We are saddened that she decided to file this ill-advised complaint and abuse the FEC process to air personal grievances,” he adds.
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Comments (114)
Cosmos102
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:43pmNot since Anthony’s weiner have we seen such a little much a doo about something.
Report Post »nzkiwi
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:01amI got about half way through before losing track of who was doing what to/for who. I started again and then gave up.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 4:35amMcCrackin………what a great name for an illicit lover……..gotta love it …
Report Post »Lonescrapper
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 6:44amI think we are going to see a LOT of this now, thanks to John Edwards. It goes on ALOT. If you’ve every been around politicians and their campaigns, you can completely accept it happens. This is really the reason you need a ‘clean’ candidate.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 7:31amnzkiwi
bitter ex = wife seeking vengeance ’cause she ain’t gettin what the new woman is… that’s all
Report Post »little big man
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 7:40amYes I’ll have a McCrackin………and a hash brown please.
Report Post »term limits for congress
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 8:17amHelp us welcome to the stage – the dancin’ feet of Miss Dodie McCrackin!
Was she ever a Drag Queen in Key West? Probably not.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 8:35amnever trust a politician with good hair
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 9:58amDon’t Believe It, I Don’t
This was just a lie created by the Democrat Communists who will try anything because of their tanking polling numbers, even MURDER. Democrat Communist will begin killing GOPers soon if not already. They have failed at every other attempt.
Report Post »G-WHIZ
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 11:52amAnd now we can say…“got his Anthony whacked”!!…..just like Clinton got his “Lewinsiki” on!
Report Post »Krutch
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 1:42pm@ nzkiwi
Report Post »Welcome to Illinois politics!!!!
donh2
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:32pmPopular line from the movie Kingpin ” Sometimes when I wake up Mr. McCracken’s already here.” Kirk’s Ex wife knows the feeling…
Report Post »Captain Jerk rode the Tea Party Wave but like most politicians belongs in the gutter with Woody Harrelson….> http://youtu.be/ci6YPGQedr0
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:27amLive long and prosper.
Report Post »crichton
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:28pmam I the only one who got a chuckle out of Dodie “Doodie” McCracken
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 5:46amYes, you ass. What is that? Catholic humor?
Report Post »SUNBURST
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:27pmIf they are guilty of this kind of crap, they need to be ROOTED OUT.
Report Post »No matter which party.
fishandpoi
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:47pmI agree.
Report Post »G-WHIZ
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 11:49am…and instantaniously, this will dissapear as soon as he drops-out or leaves office,the next morning, as if it never happened. Just ask all Republican-candidates whom dropped-out after Dem-sex-lies!
Report Post »phrogdriver
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:27pmI missed the (R) when I breezed through this the first time, so I decided to check his website. Clicked on “policies”. Still couldn’t tellwhat he was.
If he get’s squashed by this, I don’t see it as a major loss for anyone outside the ruling classand his imediate family.
Report Post »possom
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:25pmIt’s IL wadaya expect?
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 1:42amJust look at this lineup of criminals
Report Post »http://illinoisteaparty.net/congress?party=All&title=All&state=IL&gender=All
jmcclena
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:54pmAnother corrupt “family values” conservative… What else is new?
Report Post »jzs
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:05pmThe word on the street is that he also a wide stance in airport bathrooms. Now that may not be true but it might also be true as well.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:19pmDo you spend a lot of time in airport bathrooms, jzs ?
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 12:18amJZS,
My goodness, aren’t you overly concerned with that toe tapping topic lately.
Just last week when you were posting in the Larry Flynt story, you were overcome by something that caused you to type the name of Larry Craig instead of Larry Flynt, not just once, but twice in the same paragraph.
Since you seem to fancy yourself a hobbyist-psychologist, what do you make of that slip up, when taken in context with your post here tonight?
As Arsenio Hall used to say……………“Things that make you go hmmmmmmm”
Report Post »BlessedONE333
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:52pmTHIS sounds more like a woman scorned – but if he is guilty – then arrest him, give him a trial and put him in a cell next to john edwards!
Report Post »WISEPENNY
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:14pmDang! You took the words right out of my comment. Ha.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:41pmthat was going to be my comment as well, hell hath no furry…
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 5:37amYou guys are severely unoriginal.
My proverb again: There has always been a battle in the world. It is between the wonderful and the lame. The lame has been taking a beating since day one.
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 10:41amGuilda
Report Post »Put some ice on it and walk it off.
smokey888x2
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:41pmResign Kirk …. do the right thing!
Report Post »DIR
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:33pmAll he has to do is switch parties (from r to d) and his alleged action(s) will be a resume enhancer. If he uses the Owel Gore defense he can say there was no controlling authority where as the cash is concerned. If he uses the Bill Clinton defense, he can say he was reading the paper while things were going on, and besides it depends on the meaning of the word ‘is.’
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:27pmthis guy is a rino and was obviously married to a progressive money grubber…fluke em all…he needs to resign, go rest , get well and get out of politics…rinos days are over…
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 12:09pmWith all he was juggling, no wonder he had a stroke.
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:24pmIf this is true then I’m beginning to think the state of Illinois needs to be ceeded to Mexico. Democrat or Republican, corruption is your name Illinois. You would fit in nicely with Mexico.
When Lincoln left Illinois did he take all that was good in Illinois with him?
Report Post »Atilla
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:24pmSounds like sour grapes to me.
Report Post »G-WHIZ
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 11:56am…Not even good for a decent “whine”…..get-it ….sour-grapes? Wine/whine? ……Oh, well, I tried.
Report Post »Jeanne2010
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:18pmNo wonder he had a stroke…
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 5:48amHe didn’t have a stroke. What blind parroting fools you are.
Report Post »TheReasonableLib
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:09pmStop focusing on this guy’s ex-wife and focus on the four sister wives Romney had killed and the fourth in the hospital!
Jeanne2010
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:24pmThe “reasonable lib?” Really???
Report Post »MCDAVE
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:25pmpost some proof from a reliable source
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:31pma Reasonable Lib or Fib
Report Post »Now that’s a goods one. Why don’t you make up a good story and tell it to us.
Midwest-Gal
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:37pmWhat are you talking about!
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:45pmFirst Lady, 2nd Lady, 3rd Lady and 4th Lady.
Report Post »I can live with that..
piper22
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:53pmWait, four were killed and a FOURTH(?) is in the hospital. Where did you learn math, from Barry the Zero?
Report Post »possom
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:31pmIs that that new higher lern”in 4+1=4
Report Post »woodyb
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 12:37amOr even from an UNreliable source!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:21amI didn’t know The Brothers Grimm had a math book out.
Report Post »moussiagilda
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 5:50amLiars.
By the way, liberal, you are not being reasonable.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:05pmAnd… all is normal in Illinois… home Graft, Bribes, Gangsters, & Communists!
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:01pmIf he is guilty send to jail along with Edwards. But if not the ex is working for the other side. Lord let the truth be known this election year nothing hide.
Report Post »Chromo200
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:21pmI agree .. if he is guilty .. off to jail.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:26pm@rickc34
“If he is guilty send to jail along with Edwards.”]
Did I miss the news where Edwards was convicted and sentenced to jail already? Just saying…
Report Post »misteryuck
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:59pmJust the type of people we need in guverment passing more laws and regulations and spending our money…
I bet the Healtcare will just be to die for too…
GOOD GRIEF!
Report Post »VanceUppercut
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:55pmThe party of family values.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:47pmLike your family of party values ?
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:19amLike your value of family parties: (cue Pee-Wee Herman voice) -’ OK everybody, strip down to your undies – it’s time to play Twister!’
Report Post »jocko
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:54pmWhat a surprise! An Illinois Senator… duh! Republican as low as the demorats!
Report Post »Rweb
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:50pmWho would hire the ex-wife to work with new girlfriend. That alone means I would not vote for him. How can we trust him to use good judgement for us when he can not use it in his own life.
Report Post »JQCitizen
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:48pmHmmmm…? Wondering what OTHER payments might be found to Ms. Vertolli? Say, from a certain ex-Illinois-Senator? Just asking…
There are grudges of ALL KINDS in politics, Aye?
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:48pmAnd the filth didn’t even hide 2 states away!
Report Post »lawrench
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:48pmIsn’t that the way politics are done in Illinois?
Report Post »EP46
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 8:23amWe must remember…Bill Clinton made ‘it’s just about sex’ ok…and hillary ‘stood by her man’…so why does the Left ‘force’ the Right to condem this type behavior ? Time to just say…no, he is not one of us…he is a Clinton progressive.
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:47pmTicked off dumped wife never lies….. and Obama is always truthful.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:43pmthere is no scorn like a woman scorn. it does not matter if the accusation is true are not, it is the damage that it can cause, you piss off a woman and pissed on is what you will get.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:55pmCommon
Report Post »Sounds about right to me. Beet vodka may smooooothe it out.