From the Dillard Camp:
“During the spring legislative session, leaders in the Democrat Party blocked serious efforts by the Collins Commission and many state lawmakers to enact meaningful reform of Illinois’ campaign finance system. In order to clean up Illinois’ culture of corruption, we need to pass recommendations set forth by the Collins Commission. During the final days prior to the recess, I filed a motion to discharge every day on the Senate floor to follow the full recommendations of the Patrick Collins Commission. As I formally requested countless times during the legislative session, members of the General Assembly should have an opportunity to publicly debate and vote on these measures that are an important step in restoring integrity and trust.
“I am disheartened by Governor Quinn’s failure to accept the recommendations made by his own commission! The failure to end pay to play politics in Illinois is a slap in the face to every person, employer, and community across this great state.”
From the Schillerstrom camp:
“It is the way of Springfield to pass weak legislation, proclaim victory and leave town. That is what Gov. Quinn tried to do with campaign finance legislation, and it is a step in the right direction that he has admitted his mistake and changed position. While it is surreal to see the Governor veto a bill he hailed as ‘landmark’ just weeks ago, it was a necessary action. After the arrest of Quinn’s running mate, Illinois residents understand the importance of Ethics legislation better than anyone and are looking for real reform, not more lip service.
“It appears that Gov. Quinn now sees the difference, which is encouraging. From Ethics to the budget, he is right, our state can ‘do better.”
From the Brady camp:
Rather than waffling and changing course, Governor Quinn needs to remember that sage reality from Harry Truman.
Since he became our accidental governor with the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich, Quinn has failed to show any hint of the leadership that Illinois needs today and that Illinois citizens deserve.
When he backed down from his demand that the final two trustees of the University of Illinois resign, Quinn again displayed a lack of backbone that is needed to be the chief executive of Illinois.
So much so that a Chicago Tribune editorial this morning labeled him “the incredible shrinking governor.”
I urge the governor to undo this latest flip-flop and again demand the resignations of these two trustees. He can reappoint them, if they are qualified, just as he is free to reappoint any of the other trustees who did accede to his request and resigned.
Quinn seems to be a governor of soft will and many contradictions, discounting the recommendations of his own ethics panel and supporting a flawed campaign finance bill he has now vetoed, requiring state employees to take unpaid furlough days but wavering when the employees’ union resisted, and caving on a special election to fill President Obama’s Senate seat when powerful Democrats objected.
That is not leadership. That is more of the same Democrat politics Illinois unfortunately paid the price for over the last several years.
Illinois can do better. Illinois must do better.
In addition to IRP Chair Pat Brady and democratic gubernatorial hopeful Dan Hynes, several of the GOP candidates seeking Pat Quinn’s job have issued statements in response to his veto of his own campaign finance reform bill. With that veto comes the candidates ability to raise unlimited funds to fuel their campaigns. Ah, the sweet nectar of life.
From the Dillard Camp:
“During the spring legislative session, leaders in the Democrat Party blocked serious efforts by the Collins Commission and many state lawmakers to enact meaningful
reform of Illinois’ campaign finance system. In order to clean up Illinois’ culture of corruption, we need to pass recommendations set forth by the Collins Commission. During the final days prior to the recess, I filed a motion to discharge every day on the Senate floor to follow the full recommendations of the Patrick Collins Commission. As I formally requested countless times during the legislative session, members of the General Assembly should have an opportunity to publicly debate and vote on these measures that are an important step in restoring integrity and trust.
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