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| Quinn in Springfield Waiting to Take Over |
The Bible is ready. The oath has been prepared. The lieutenant governor and his family are in Springfield, and the current governor's belongings are boxed up and waiting to be picked up at the Executive Mansion.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn says he has been careful not to be "presumptuous" over the last seven weeks as the Legislature has marched toward today's expected impeachment and removal from office of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but Quinn is ready to take over as governor should Blagojevich be removed.
His four priorities:
* Integrity: Quinn said he will work to restore the faith of Illinois' citizens in their government.
* State budget: Quinn has begun huddling with the state budget director and has asked state legislative leaders to move back the scheduled budget address from Feb. 18 to March 18 so he can assess the state’s finances.
* The broader economic picture: Quinn plans to meet with the state's Washington delegation to make sure Illinois is getting a fair share of the federal economic stimulus package.
* Campaign finance: Quinn's reform commission, headed by Pat Collins, is expected to make proposals for new state ethics and campaign finance laws, which Quinn hopes to get approved by the Legislature this spring.
"You have to be ready," Quinn said. "If you run for this office, you have to be on your toes."
If the Illinois Senate votes to remove Blagojevich from office, Quinn will immediately head with his mother, sons and supporters to the state House chamber and place his hand on a Bible while his longtime friend, Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, will administer an oath of office prepared by Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
(The Illinois Radio Network wrote this story based on reports from the Chicago Sun-Times and WLS-TV.) |
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| 01 29 09 by Newsroom |
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