Sen. Mark Kirk: Ex-wife engaged in ‘bitter personal attacks’
By Abdon M. Pallasch Political Reporter apallasch@suntimes.com May 29, 2012 7:16PM
7-20-09 Congressman Mark Kirk announced that he is running for Obama's old seat in the Senate citing state corruption as the reason. Here he answers questions from the media about his recent divorce and his ex? Kimberly Vertolli stepped up and said she supports Mark all the way. In front of his old boyhood home in Kenilworth. sun-times photo by al podgorski
Updated: July 3, 2012 12:56PM
Sen. Mark Kirk’s office Tuesday accused his ex-wife Kimberly Vertolli of engaging in “bitter personal attacks” for filing a complaint with federal election authorities about payments the Kirk campaign made to his then-girlfriend during his campaign for the U.S. Senate two years ago.
“While Senator 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 baseless complaint consisting of bitter personal attacks and is attempting to involve a federal agency in a divorce settled 36 months ago,” a Kirk spokesman said. “We responded to the FEC on December 31, 2011, and are confident that the Commission will dismiss the complaint.”
Vertolli started causing problems for Kirk during the campaign when she told Chicago Magazine last August that the “Svengali-like influence” Kirk campaign adviser Dodie McCracken exerted over Kirk helped break up their marriage.
The Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet reported two weeks later that both women would be advising the campaign.
