Quinn: 'I will be ready'
OUR NEXT GOVERNOR | Swearing-in ceremony already planned -- and Blagojevich's belongings have been boxed up for removal
The Bible is ready. The oath has been prepared. The lieutenant governor and his family are on their way to Springfield. And the current governor's belongings are boxed up and waiting to be picked up at the Executive Mansion.
"I definitely plan to be in Springfield and I will be ready," Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn told the Chicago Sun-Times on Wednesday. Quinn said 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. Blagojevich.
(AP)
1) Integrity -- Quinn said he will work to restore the faith of Illinois' citizens in their government.
2) 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.
3) 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.
4) 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.
Abdon M. Pallasch
But, Quinn said, "You have to be ready. 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.
At that moment, Blagojevich will no longer be welcome in the governor's office.
"The attorney general has already made it crystal-clear that under the law, if the Senate acts, then the governor is no longer the governor of Illinois," Quinn said. "He is a private citizen and the appropriate thing for him to do is leave the office and go home."
If citizen Blagojevich tries to stage a photo-op of himself having to be forcibly removed from his desk, will Quinn oblige by siccing the Capitol Police on him?
"My father a long time ago taught me you don't take an aspirin unless you have a headache," Quinn said. "I don't think that will happen."
Until recent days, Blagojevich blocked his staff from offering Quinn any help on a transition by not providing him with budget figures or any other information, Quinn said.
"I think Gov. Blagojevich put a straitjacket on everyone under his command not to be cooperative or helpful, but when his own staff saw he took off for New York and went on TV predicting his own demise ... they've become much more helpful," Quinn said.
Quinn began meeting with Blagojevich's budget director Ginger Ostro in addition to his own state finance brain trust, which includes former budget director John Filan, who is now at the Illinois Finance Authority.
Before Quinn can rule any rumored state income tax or gas tax changes in or out, he needs to learn just how bad the state's finances are, he said.
"The governor deliberately didn't provide information to the public, including the other constitutional officers," Quinn said.
Quinn has named Better Government Association Executive Director Jay Stewart as his counsel. Stewart held that role before in Quinn's office. Will Quinn bring back his former chief of staff Jack Lavin, who now heads Blagojevich's Commerce and Economic Opportunity Department?
Quinn wouldn't say; he plans to announce his first appointments Monday.
At President Obama's inauguration, Quinn said he got plenty of pointers from New York Gov. David Paterson -- and other lieutenant governors suddenly thrust into the top seat -- about pitfalls to avoid.
"We can do great things in the next 700 days," Quinn said. "I plan to fumigate state government."