Standing on principle, then sinking in mud

Mark Kirk did something especially good and proper today - namely, becoming only the second Republican in the US Senate to endorse marriage equality - which is something I completely approve of.

But of course you know the wingnuts won't agree, which brings us to the ominous possibility that we may see a certain...er...prejudiced, unintelligent individual (or if you want to make it plain, "hate-filled moron") surfacing from his home pile of muck to challenge Kirk in the GOP primary next time around. His first go-around, of course, was the very picture of well-reasoned, fair-minded debate:

The (December 2009 radio) ad for Republican U.S Senate candidate Andy Martin questions the sexuality of candidate Mark Kirk. It's quickly being denounced by the party.

The ad says in part, "Illinois Republican leader Jack Roeser says there is a solid rumor that Kirk is a homosexual. Roeser suggests Kirk is part of a Republican Party homosexual club. Lake County Illinois Republican leader Ray True says Kirk has surrounded himself with homosexuals."

Martin's ads were denounced by the Illinois Republican Party. Pat Brady, the chair of the Illinois Republican Party blasted the ad and Martin saying, "His statements today are consistent with his history of bizarre behavior and often times hate-filled speech which has no place in the Illinois Republican Party. Mr. Martin will no longer be recognized as a legitimate Republican Candidate by the Illinois Republican Party."

And the men mentioned by Martin in the ad, Republican businessman Jack Roeser and Ray True, Chairman of the Republican Assembly of Lake County, also responded.

Roeser told ABC 7, "I don't really want to be associated with Andy Martin. He's made a lot of legal statements and cases that I think are irresponsible. Whatever he says I don't support." .

True said, "I request through the media that Andy Martin cease and desist from making any additional statements that are incorrectly attributed to me."

According to political consultant Don Rose, Martin has never been considered a credible candidate. Running for public office for decades as both a Republican and Democrat, Martin has a history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and legal disputes in federal court.

"With such a record of failure politically, to say nothing of his other legal troubles, one wonders what keeps him going," said Rose.

What a wonderful guy. But wait - there's more:

Andy Martin, the U.S. Senate candidate who made waves by claiming his opponent - U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk - was gay, is at it again, this time attacking Kirk for covering up pedophilia in the United States Congress. The minute-long ad began airing on local radio today. So how did Kirk - and Dennis Hastert - cover up pedophilia? By not stopping Mark Foley's infamous affairs with underaged staffers. Martin hits a new nadir when, in the ad, he makes clear that, "Kirk is not a pedophile," but then feels compelled to add that since Kirk helped to "cover up" Foley's trysts, that makes Kirk "a de facto pedophile." No. Really. He says that.

As I said before, nothing but well-reasoned, fair-minded debate concerning policy issues are featured in those ads. No mudslinging to be found at all. No sirree!

As to the issue of antisemitism, Martin (including the stuff he's uttered under his previous name, Anthony Martin-Trigona) isn't particularly a shrinking violet in the Shrieking Public Bigot Sweepstakes on that subject, either:

During a run for a congressional seat in Connecticut, Martin-Trigona named his campaign committee "The Anthony R. Martin-Trigona Congressional Campaign to Exterminate Jew Power in America."  And many of his numerous legal filings have been anti-Semitic in nature.  Ironic, considering that in his original press release attacking Obama, he claimed Obama's "lies" about his heritage posed a danger to Israel and the Jewish community.

Oh, he also likes to sue. And sue. And sue some more:

Martin-Trigona is known to have filed over 250 civil actions, appeals, and other matters throughout the United States, which have been pursued with "persistence, viciousness, and general disregard for decency and logic." He has used legal pleadings to ventilate his contempt and hatred of persons of Jewish heritage and to level accusations which "have often been personal, have often emphasized racial or religious affiliations, and have often involved the members of . . . judges' and counsel's families." The purpose, nature and effect of his resort to multiple litigation has been to involve as many persons in as many confounding legal processes as possible. . . . Martin-Trigona's voluminous filings have "inundated" the District of Connecticut and his activities have burdened judicial operations to the point of impairing the administration of justice. Finally, Martin-Trigona has not desisted from his course of vexatious litigation but has expressly stated his intent to file yet more actions.

Thus spake the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, who are the poor bastards who have actually had to read all of the crap Martin-Trigona filed in the past. It's not a job I'd like to have. Not unless you paid me a shitload of money first.

The reason why I bring all of this up, of course, is that Kirk - who has already gone through a serious stroke and has now probably ended up on the political shit list of wingnuts all over Illinois (if not the entire country) for taking a principled stand on the issue of marriage equality - will probably be challenged by any number of really sad and pathetic people in the next primary if he chooses to run again. One of them will almost certainly be Andy Martin, and the unpleasant reality about that is that he'll haul out all of the insufferable "Mark Kirk supports T3H EV1L GAY!!1!!" bullshit just like last time and actually believe he knew it all along.

Then again, no one ever expects stupid bigots to become intelligent or tolerant overnight.

If ever.