* Pat Quinn is tapping Pat Collins to draft new ethics legislation…
Launching a spring ethics push, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has asked the same lawyer who prosecuted former Gov. George Ryan to recommend ways to “fumigate” state government.
Quinn Monday will name former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins to chair a panel to draw up legislation and other reforms to respond to the litany of alleged wrongdoing tied to Gov. Blagojevich.
* But Scott Reeder is not impressed…
As sleazy allegation after sleazy allegation came to light during Blagojevich’s first term, Pat Quinn kept his mouth shut.
Quinn has tried to burnish an image as an “elder statesman” by attending the funerals of Illinois soldiers and Marines killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He saluted as “Taps” was played and the cameras clicked funeral after funeral. But we didn’t hear boo from him as vets were shunted aside when seeking state jobs.
The administration gamed the state’s hiring system to give preference to political cronies over veterans. Middle-aged folks were hired into lucrative so-called “intern” positions to avoid the legal requirement of giving preference to veterans.
* And the goo-goos are upset about an upcoming fundraiser by the Senate Democrats, even though there’s no evidence that anything is amiss…
David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, which helped push through the new anti-pay-to-play legislation, said he was surprised when told of the amounts of money being asked for in the Cullerton letter.
“Thirty-five grand is a lot of money for one event,” Morrison said. “At that point,” he added, admitting it was somewhat of an exaggeration, “you’re almost bumping up against average household income.”
But Cullerton told me there’s a big difference between regular fundraising and illegal activity in which Blagojevich is alleged to have participated.
Exactly. Not all contributions are tainted. Most aren’t, in fact.
* Related…
* Quinn plans ethics panel
* Quinn: IL is ‘international laughing stock’