Progress Illinois

While GOP Rep. Mark Kirk started posting to his Twitter page months before officially entering the U.S. Senate race, a quick glance at it today proves that it is now an arm of his campaign.  That's why Capitol Fax's Rich Miller was surprised to see Kirk tweeting about his activities while on brief duty with the Naval Reserves.  For instance, here's what appeared on his feed last Saturday at 4:55 p.m.:

On duty @ the Pentagon's National Military Command Center. All is currently (relatively) quiet. Honor 2 be back w/ my fellow Navy colleagues

Hmmm.  Now here are the guidelines (DoD Directive 1344.10) for those both on active duty and running for public office:

4.3.3.  Any member on active duty who is permitted to be, or otherwise not prohibited from being, a nominee or candidate for office as described in subparagraph 4.2.1. may NOT participate in any campaign activities.  This includes open and active campaigning and all behind-the-scene activities.  For example, such members described in this paragraph who are candidates or nominees may not:

4.3.3.1.  Direct, control, manage, or otherwise participate in their campaign, including behind-the-scene activities.

4.3.3.2.  Make statements to or answer questions from the news media regarding political issues or regarding government policies or activities unless specifically authorized to do so by an appropriate supervisor or commander.

4.3.3.3.  Publish or allow to be published partisan political articles, literature, or documents that they have signed, written, or approved that solicit votes for or against a partisan political party, candidate, issue, or cause.

4.3.4.  Those members included in subparagraph 4.3.3. who are nominees or candidates for office must:

4.3.4.1.  Take affirmative, documented efforts to inform those who work for them and those whom they control that they (the nominees or candidates) may not direct, control, manage, or otherwise participate in campaign activities on their own behalf.

4.3.4.2.  Take all reasonable efforts to prevent current or anticipated advertisements that they (the nominees or candidates) control from being publicly displayed or running in any media.  This includes Web sites devoted to the nomination or candidacy.  Web sites created before entry on active duty may not be updated or revised and may be ordered shut down as the Secretary concerned may direct.  

That final section refers directly to web activities and would seem to be the most applicable to this situation.

Meanwhile, here's the explanation the Kirk campaign gave Miller:

Congressman Kirk did not post while on duty. In situations when he is unable to use Twitter, (i.e. while on reserve duty) a staff member posts a preapproved tweet

But how can you preapprove a tweet that says "All is currently quiet"?

My guess is that Kirk will attempt to argue that the tweets in question don't represent "campaign activities."  That might fly if it weren't for the fact that his Twitter feed is draped in "Kirk for Senate" imagery.

But the political angle aside, it could be equally problematic that he used Twitter to apparently disclose the status of activities at the Pentagon.  

Stay tuned ...