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| Gordon Not a Shoe In for Prisoner Review Board |
(IRN)-Her name was supposed to be called in a committee that approves executive appointments, but it never was.
Former State Representative Careen Gordon (D-Coal City) lost her re-election bid in November, voted for the income tax hike during the lame duck session, and then was appointed by the governor to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
"Obviously there are concerns about the nomination," said State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon), who serves on the executive appointments committee. "You had an individual who campaigned hard against the governor's tax increase proposal. Then after losing the November election, turned around and was appointed by the governor to an $86,000-a-year job. There's an appearance of quid pro quo there, and I think that leads to concerns."
Righter said that if the Gordon appointment would have been called, he would not have voted to move her name for a full Senate vote.
"We should have at least had her testify so that we can engage in her idea and then talk to the governor himself on why did he appoint her to this position or what was it really about, because we still have to make a decision at some point," said State Senatir Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood). "Either you're going to tell him that she's not going to pass or he's got to resubmit someone else or say, 'governor, this is a hard hit, you're going to have to protect us.' So either way it goes, it's not just going to go away."
State Senator Tony Munoz (D-Chicago), chairman of the Executive Appointments Committee, said the vote didn't come up because more conversations are necessary. He said Gordon's name could come up for another vote in the next couple of weeks.
(Source: Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 02 22 11 by Newsroom |
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