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Pat Quinn (politician)
Encyclopedia
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III (born December 16, 1948) is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois
. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich
, was impeached
and removed from office. Quinn was elected to the office during the 2010 gubernatorial election
, narrowly defeating Republican Bill Brady
to serve his first full term as Governor.
, Quinn attended the local Catholic grade school, St. Isaac Jogues. He graduated in 1967 from Fenwick High School, a Catholic
school in Oak Park, Illinois
run by the Order of Dominican friars. While a student at Fenwick, Quinn was the cross-country
team captain and the sports editor of the school newspaper. Quinn went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University
in 1971 with a bachelor's degree
from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
where he was a student of Professor Jan Karski
and a sports editor for The Hoya
. After taking a few years off from education, he received a Juris Doctor
degree from Northwestern University School of Law
in 1980.
Quinn is divorced and has two sons, Patrick IV and David, born on April 12, 1983, and December 16, 1984, respectively. Both sons, like their father, competed in scholastic sports, specializing in track and field events.
Quinn was briefly a practicing tax attorney before his career in public office.
. He was first put on the political map in the late 1970s by leading a petition to amend the 1970 Illinois Constitution
with the "Illinois Initiative". This amendment was intended to increase the power of public referendums in the political process and recalls for public officials. The petition drive was successful, but the Illinois Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the Illinois Initiative was an "unconstitutional constitutional amendment," and thus never was presented to voters.
Quinn drew more attention to his causes by holding press conferences on Sundays, seen as a slow news day. While still in law school, Quinn scored his first political success in 1980, earning a reputation as a reformer on the Illinois political scene. Through his organization, "The Coalition for Political Honesty," he initiated and led the statewide campaign for the Cutback Amendment
to the Illinois Constitution
, ultimately reducing the size of the Illinois House of Representatives
from 177 to 118 members. This also earned him some enemies among the state's establishment, since they had fewer seats and possibly less power.
In 1982, Quinn was elected as commissioner of the Cook County Board of Tax Appeals, now known as the Board of Review. During this time, Quinn was instrumental in the creation of the Citizens Utility Board, a consumer watchdog organization. He did not seek re-election in 1986, but waged an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination for Illinois State Treasurer
, which was won by Jerome Cosentino
. After this defeat, Quinn briefly served in the administration of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
as Revenue Director.
Quinn's bid for office
was successful in the 1990 election. He was elected Illinois State Treasurer and served in that position from 1991 to 1995. During this period, he was publicly critical of Illinois Secretary of State and future governor George Ryan
. Specifically, he drew attention to special vanity license plates that Ryan's office provided for clout-heavy motorists. This rivalry led Quinn to challenge Republican George Ryan in the 1994 general election for Secretary of State, unsuccessfully.
Quinn then took his aspirations to the national stage. When United States Senator
Paul Simon
chose not to seek re-election in 1996, Quinn entered the race. Dick Durbin won the Democratic primary and eventually the Senate seat.
Quinn sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1998, but was narrowly defeated by Mary Lou Kearns. Quinn did not initially accept the count and charged fraud, but several weeks after the election he declined to ask the Illinois Supreme Court for a recount and endorsed Kearns.
In 1998, Quinn protested an increase in state legislators' salaries by urging citizens to send tea bag
s to Jim Edgar
, then the governor. The tactic was a reference to the Boston Tea Party
; Quinn was born on December 16, the anniversary of that event. As Lieutenant Governor, he repeated the tactic in 2006, urging consumers to include a tea bag when paying their electricity bills, to protest rate hikes by Commonwealth Edison
.
. In Illinois, candidates for lieutenant governor and governor run in separate primary elections, but are conjoined as a single ticket for the general election. This same ticket won re-election in 2006, where Quinn was unopposed in the primary. While lieutenant governor, according to his official biography, his priorities were consumer advocacy, environmental protection, health care, broadband deployment, and veterans' affairs.
On December 14, 2008, when David Gregory
asked Quinn on NBC
's Meet The Press
about his relationship with Blagojevich, he said, "Well, he's a bit isolated. I tried to talk to the governor, but the last time I spoke to him was in August of 2007. I think one of the problems is the governor did sort of seal himself off from all the statewide officials... Attorney General Madigan and myself and many others..." Quinn has stated that his relationship with Blagojevich has been estranged at best, pointing out that Blagojevich officially announced that Quinn was not part of his administration in 2006.
was removed from office by a vote of 59-0 by the Illinois State Senate. Quinn was sworn in as Governor of Illinois, after earlier signing a written oath, at the chambers of the Illinois State House of Representatives by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke at 5:40 p.m. Central Standard Time.
Unlike Blagojevich, who continued to live in his Ravenswood, Chicago, home while commuting via state plane to Springfield and preferred to execute his gubernatorial duties from within his home and, less commonly, the governor's office in Chicago's Thompson Center
, Quinn moved into the Illinois Executive Mansion
in Springfield, saying it would be an honor to live "in the people's house". Quinn works primarily from his office in the Illinois State House.
's seclusion from others. In July 2009, Quinn signed a $29 billion
capital bill to provide construction and repair funds for Illinois roads, mass transit, schools, and other public works projects. The capital bill, known as Illinois Jobs Now!, was the first since Governor George H. Ryan's Illinois FIRST plan, which was enacted in the late-1990s. On July 7, 2009, he for the second time in a week vetoed a budget bill, calling it "out of balance", his plan being to more significantly fix the budget gap in Illinois
. In March 2009, Quinn called for a 1.5 percentage point increase in the personal income tax rate. To help offset the increased rate, he also sought to triple the amount shielded from taxation (or the "personal exemption") -- from $2,000 per person to $6,000. However, the bill that eventually passed increased the personal income tax by 2 percent.
to chair the Illinois Reform Commission, which was tasked with making recommendations for ethical reform for Illinois government.
On February 20, 2009, Quinn called for the resignation of US Senator Roland Burris
, the man appointed to the United States Senate
by Blagojevich to fill the vacant seat created by the resignation of Barack Obama
. He changed his position, however, following pressure from prominent African Americans who threatened electoral repercussions.
On March 3, 2009, the Associated Press
reported that Quinn had "paid his own expenses" many times as Lieutenant Governor, contradicting Blagojevich's accusations against Quinn. As a rule, he either paid his own way, or stayed at "cut rate hotels" (such as Super 8
), and never charged the state
for his meals.
In June, Quinn launched a panel, chaired by Abner Mikva, to investigate unethical practices
at the University of Illinois amid fears that the prior investigation would have no clout. The panel is charged with searching the admissions practices, amid reports that the public university
is a victim of Illinois
corruption.
, Illinois's largest environmental group, endorsed Quinn, calling him "The Green Governor."
with 50.4% of the vote. On March 27, 2010, Illinois Democratic leaders selected Sheila Simon
to replace Scott Lee Cohen
on the ballot after Cohen won the February 2010 Democratic primary to be Illinois' lieutenant governor but later withdrew amid controversies involving his personal life. Quinn won the general election on November 2, 2010, by a narrow margin and Republican candidate Bill Brady conceded the race to Quinn on November 5, 2010. Quinn's campaign aired television ads produced by Joe Slade White
that repeatedly asked the question of his opponent, "Who is this guy?" Quinn's campaign was named by RealClearPolitics.com as the #5 General Election upset in the country. Ben Nuckels was the general election Campaign Manager and was named a "Rising Star of Politics" by Campaigns & Elections Magazine for his efforts with Quinn. It was stated by Politico to be the 7th closest gubernatorial in United States of America history.
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Governor of Illinois
The Governor of Illinois is the chief executive of the State of Illinois and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state....
. He is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
, was impeached
Impeachment in the United States
Impeachment in the United States is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office...
and removed from office. Quinn was elected to the office during the 2010 gubernatorial election
Illinois gubernatorial election, 2010
An election for Governor of Illinois was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat, sought and was elected to a full term. Quinn was elected as the Democratic nominee, the Green Party nominee was Rich Whitney, the Republican nominee was State Senator Bill Brady, the...
, narrowly defeating Republican Bill Brady
Bill Brady (politician)
William E. "Bill" Brady, Jr. is a Republican member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 44th Legislative District since his appointment in May 2002. He previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 88th District from 1993 to 2000.-Early life, education and...
to serve his first full term as Governor.
Education and personal life
Born in 1948 in Hinsdale, IllinoisHinsdale, Illinois
Hinsdale is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois; it is located partly in Cook County and mainly in DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 17,349 at the 2000 census. The town's ZIP code is 60521. The town has a rolling, wooded topography, with a quaint downtown and is a 30-minute...
, Quinn attended the local Catholic grade school, St. Isaac Jogues. He graduated in 1967 from Fenwick High School, a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
school in Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
run by the Order of Dominican friars. While a student at Fenwick, Quinn was the cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
team captain and the sports editor of the school newspaper. Quinn went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in 1971 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...
where he was a student of Professor Jan Karski
Jan Karski
Jan Karski was a Polish World War II resistance movement fighter and later scholar at Georgetown University. In 1942 and 1943 Karski reported to the Polish government in exile and the Western Allies on the situation in German-occupied Poland, especially the destruction of the Warsaw Ghetto, and...
and a sports editor for The Hoya
The Hoya
The Hoya, the oldest and largest student newspaper of Georgetown University in Washington, DC, was founded in 1920. The Hoya prints an edition every Tuesday and Friday during the academic year and has a circulation of 6,500...
. After taking a few years off from education, he received a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from Northwestern University School of Law
Northwestern University School of Law
The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. The law school was founded in 1859 as the Union College of Law of the Old University of Chicago. The first law school established in Chicago, it became jointly controlled by Northwestern University in...
in 1980.
Quinn is divorced and has two sons, Patrick IV and David, born on April 12, 1983, and December 16, 1984, respectively. Both sons, like their father, competed in scholastic sports, specializing in track and field events.
Quinn was briefly a practicing tax attorney before his career in public office.
Political activism
Before running for public office, Quinn was already involved in political action, serving as an aide to Governor Daniel WalkerDaniel Walker
Daniel Walker was the 36th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1973 to 1977.-Early life and career:He was born in Washington, D.C. and raised near San Diego, California. He was the second Governor of Illinois to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He served as a naval officer in...
. He was first put on the political map in the late 1970s by leading a petition to amend the 1970 Illinois Constitution
Illinois Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Illinois is the governing document of the state of Illinois. There have been four Illinois Constitutions; the fourth and current version was adopted in 1970.-History:...
with the "Illinois Initiative". This amendment was intended to increase the power of public referendums in the political process and recalls for public officials. The petition drive was successful, but the Illinois Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the Illinois Initiative was an "unconstitutional constitutional amendment," and thus never was presented to voters.
Quinn drew more attention to his causes by holding press conferences on Sundays, seen as a slow news day. While still in law school, Quinn scored his first political success in 1980, earning a reputation as a reformer on the Illinois political scene. Through his organization, "The Coalition for Political Honesty," he initiated and led the statewide campaign for the Cutback Amendment
Cutback amendment
The Cutback Amendment is an amendment to the Illinois Constitution that abolished multi-member districts in the Illinois House of Representatives and the process of cumulative voting. Before the amendment Illinois voters could vote three times for one candidate or spread their votes between two or...
to the Illinois Constitution
Illinois Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Illinois is the governing document of the state of Illinois. There have been four Illinois Constitutions; the fourth and current version was adopted in 1970.-History:...
, ultimately reducing the size of the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
from 177 to 118 members. This also earned him some enemies among the state's establishment, since they had fewer seats and possibly less power.
In 1982, Quinn was elected as commissioner of the Cook County Board of Tax Appeals, now known as the Board of Review. During this time, Quinn was instrumental in the creation of the Citizens Utility Board, a consumer watchdog organization. He did not seek re-election in 1986, but waged an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination for Illinois State Treasurer
Illinois State Treasurer
The Treasurer of Illinois is an elected official of the U.S. state of Illinois. The office was created by the Constitution of Illinois.-Current occupant and duties:, the Treasurer of Illinois is Dan Rutherford, a member of the Republican Party...
, which was won by Jerome Cosentino
Jerome Cosentino
Jerome "Jerry" Cosentino was an American politician from the state of Illinois. He was a Democrat who served as state Treasurer from 1979 until 1983, and again from 1987 until 1991.-Biography:...
. After this defeat, Quinn briefly served in the administration of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington
Harold Washington
Harold Lee Washington was an American lawyer and politician who became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987.- Early years and military service :...
as Revenue Director.
Quinn's bid for office
Office
An office is generally a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organization with specific duties attached to it ; the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one's duty. When used as an adjective, the...
was successful in the 1990 election. He was elected Illinois State Treasurer and served in that position from 1991 to 1995. During this period, he was publicly critical of Illinois Secretary of State and future governor George Ryan
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...
. Specifically, he drew attention to special vanity license plates that Ryan's office provided for clout-heavy motorists. This rivalry led Quinn to challenge Republican George Ryan in the 1994 general election for Secretary of State, unsuccessfully.
Quinn then took his aspirations to the national stage. When United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Paul Simon
Paul Simon (politician)
Paul Martin Simon was an American politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. He was a member of the Democratic Party...
chose not to seek re-election in 1996, Quinn entered the race. Dick Durbin won the Democratic primary and eventually the Senate seat.
Quinn sought the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1998, but was narrowly defeated by Mary Lou Kearns. Quinn did not initially accept the count and charged fraud, but several weeks after the election he declined to ask the Illinois Supreme Court for a recount and endorsed Kearns.
In 1998, Quinn protested an increase in state legislators' salaries by urging citizens to send tea bag
Tea bag
A tea bag is a small, porous sealed bag containing tea leaves and used for brewing tea. Tea bags are commonly made of paper, silk or plastic. The bag contains the tea leaves while the tea is brewed, making it easier to dispose of the leaves, and performs the same function as a tea infuser...
s to Jim Edgar
Jim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
, then the governor. The tactic was a reference to the Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies...
; Quinn was born on December 16, the anniversary of that event. As Lieutenant Governor, he repeated the tactic in 2006, urging consumers to include a tea bag when paying their electricity bills, to protest rate hikes by Commonwealth Edison
Commonwealth Edison
Commonwealth Edison is the largest electric utility in Illinois, serving the Chicago and Northern Illinois area...
.
Lieutenant Governor
Quinn won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in March 2002 and subsequently won the general election on the Democratic ticket alongside gubernatorial nominee Rod BlagojevichRod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
. In Illinois, candidates for lieutenant governor and governor run in separate primary elections, but are conjoined as a single ticket for the general election. This same ticket won re-election in 2006, where Quinn was unopposed in the primary. While lieutenant governor, according to his official biography, his priorities were consumer advocacy, environmental protection, health care, broadband deployment, and veterans' affairs.
On December 14, 2008, when David Gregory
David Gregory (journalist)
David Michael Gregory is an American television journalist, and moderator of NBC News' Sunday morning talk show Meet the Press.-Early life:...
asked Quinn on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Meet The Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
about his relationship with Blagojevich, he said, "Well, he's a bit isolated. I tried to talk to the governor, but the last time I spoke to him was in August of 2007. I think one of the problems is the governor did sort of seal himself off from all the statewide officials... Attorney General Madigan and myself and many others..." Quinn has stated that his relationship with Blagojevich has been estranged at best, pointing out that Blagojevich officially announced that Quinn was not part of his administration in 2006.
Governor of Illinois
On January 29, 2009 Rod BlagojevichRod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
was removed from office by a vote of 59-0 by the Illinois State Senate. Quinn was sworn in as Governor of Illinois, after earlier signing a written oath, at the chambers of the Illinois State House of Representatives by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke at 5:40 p.m. Central Standard Time.
Unlike Blagojevich, who continued to live in his Ravenswood, Chicago, home while commuting via state plane to Springfield and preferred to execute his gubernatorial duties from within his home and, less commonly, the governor's office in Chicago's Thompson Center
James R. Thompson Center
The James R. Thompson Center is located at 100 W. Randolph Street in the Loop, Chicago, Illinois and houses offices of the State of Illinois. The building opened in May 1985 as the State of Illinois Center. It was renamed in 1993 to honor former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson...
, Quinn moved into the Illinois Executive Mansion
Illinois Executive Mansion
The Illinois Executive Mansion is the official residence of the Governor of Illinois. It is located at 410 E. Jackson Street in Springfield, Illinois and is open to tours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings, free of charge. The Georgian style Mansion was designed by Chicago architect John M....
in Springfield, saying it would be an honor to live "in the people's house". Quinn works primarily from his office in the Illinois State House.
Economy
Quinn has announced several "belt-tightening" programs to help curb the economic ailments of Illinois. He has also had meetings with other statewide officers of Illinois, in stark contrast to Rod BlagojevichRod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
's seclusion from others. In July 2009, Quinn signed a $29 billion
1000000000 (number)
1,000,000,000 is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001.In scientific notation, it is written as 109....
capital bill to provide construction and repair funds for Illinois roads, mass transit, schools, and other public works projects. The capital bill, known as Illinois Jobs Now!, was the first since Governor George H. Ryan's Illinois FIRST plan, which was enacted in the late-1990s. On July 7, 2009, he for the second time in a week vetoed a budget bill, calling it "out of balance", his plan being to more significantly fix the budget gap in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. In March 2009, Quinn called for a 1.5 percentage point increase in the personal income tax rate. To help offset the increased rate, he also sought to triple the amount shielded from taxation (or the "personal exemption") -- from $2,000 per person to $6,000. However, the bill that eventually passed increased the personal income tax by 2 percent.
Ethics reform
On January 5, 2009, Quinn appointed Patrick M. CollinsPatrick M. Collins
Patrick M. Collins , is an American lawyer. Collins is a partner in Perkins Coie's LLP's litigation practice. Previously, he worked for the United States Department of Justice as an assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2005, he led the U.S. government's team in the trial and conviction of former Illinois...
to chair the Illinois Reform Commission, which was tasked with making recommendations for ethical reform for Illinois government.
On February 20, 2009, Quinn called for the resignation of US Senator Roland Burris
Roland Burris
Roland Wallace Burris is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party....
, the man appointed to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by Blagojevich to fill the vacant seat created by the resignation of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. He changed his position, however, following pressure from prominent African Americans who threatened electoral repercussions.
On March 3, 2009, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Quinn had "paid his own expenses" many times as Lieutenant Governor, contradicting Blagojevich's accusations against Quinn. As a rule, he either paid his own way, or stayed at "cut rate hotels" (such as Super 8
Super 8 Motels
Super 8 Hotels Inc. is the world's largest budget hotel chain, with hotels in the United States and Canada, as well as newer properties in China. The company is a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide, formerly a part of Cendant.-History:...
), and never charged the state
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
for his meals.
In June, Quinn launched a panel, chaired by Abner Mikva, to investigate unethical practices
University of Illinois clout scandal
The University of Illinois clout scandal resulted from a series of articles in the Chicago Tribune which reported that some applicants to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign "received special consideration" for acceptance between 2005 and 2009, despite having sub-par qualifications. ...
at the University of Illinois amid fears that the prior investigation would have no clout. The panel is charged with searching the admissions practices, amid reports that the public university
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
is a victim of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
corruption.
Environment and Energy
Quinn has generally won high praise for his leadership on environmental issues, going back at least as far as his lieutenant governorship, where he helped develop annual statewide conferences on green building, created a state day to celebrate and defend rivers, and promoted measures such as rain gardens for water conservation. As governor, Quinn helped pass measures on solar and wind energy, including sourcing electricity for the state capitol from wind power, and helped secure funding for high-speed rail in the midwest corridor. In the 2010 primary, the Sierra ClubSierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, Illinois's largest environmental group, endorsed Quinn, calling him "The Green Governor."
Death penalty
On March 9, 2011, Quinn signed the bill which abolished the death penalty in Illinois. On signing the bill, Quinn stated,"It is impossible to create a perfect system, one that is free of all mistakes, free of all discrimination with respect to race or economic circumstance or geography. To have a consistent, perfect death penalty system, I have concluded, after looking at everything I’ve been given, that that’s impossible in our state. I think it’s the right and just thing to abolish the death penalty."
2010 election
In the Democratic primary, Quinn defeated State Comptroller Daniel HynesDaniel Hynes
Daniel W. Hynes is an American politician, formerly the Illinois Comptroller.-Background:Hynes was born in Chicago. He attended St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, where he graduated in 1986. Hynes later attended the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1990 with a...
with 50.4% of the vote. On March 27, 2010, Illinois Democratic leaders selected Sheila Simon
Sheila Simon
Sheila J. Simon is an American politician and educator who is the 46th and current Lieutenant Governor of the state of Illinois. She was a Professor of Law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law. Simon is the daughter of former U.S...
to replace Scott Lee Cohen
Scott Lee Cohen
Scott Lee Cohen is an American politician and businessman who won the Democratic Party's 2010 nomination for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, then withdrew under pressure shortly after the primary following revelations about his personal life and questions about his background...
on the ballot after Cohen won the February 2010 Democratic primary to be Illinois' lieutenant governor but later withdrew amid controversies involving his personal life. Quinn won the general election on November 2, 2010, by a narrow margin and Republican candidate Bill Brady conceded the race to Quinn on November 5, 2010. Quinn's campaign aired television ads produced by Joe Slade White
Joe Slade White
Joe Slade White is a Democratic political strategist and media consultant. His past clients have included Presidential candidates, U.S. Senators, Governors, Members of Congress, and Mayors, as well as statewide and local initiatives throughout the country.-Career:At the age of 21, White was hired...
that repeatedly asked the question of his opponent, "Who is this guy?" Quinn's campaign was named by RealClearPolitics.com as the #5 General Election upset in the country. Ben Nuckels was the general election Campaign Manager and was named a "Rising Star of Politics" by Campaigns & Elections Magazine for his efforts with Quinn. It was stated by Politico to be the 7th closest gubernatorial in United States of America history.
2011 taxes
With the state budget deficit projected to hit $15 billion in 2011, and debt continuing to grow, the Democrats who control the Legislature in early 2011 raised the personal income tax from 3% to 5%, and the corporation profits tax 4.8% to 7%. Governor Quinn's office projected the new taxes will generate $6.8 billion a year, enough to balance the annual budget and begin reducing the state's backlog of about $8.5 billion in unpaid bills. Despite the tax increase, a report from the Civic Federation in September 2011 projected a $8.3 billion deficit to end the budget year.Electoral history
- 2010 Election for Governor/Lietenant Governor of Illinois
- Pat Quinn/Sheila SimonSheila SimonSheila J. Simon is an American politician and educator who is the 46th and current Lieutenant Governor of the state of Illinois. She was a Professor of Law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law. Simon is the daughter of former U.S...
(D) (inc.) 46.6% - Bill Brady/Jason Plummer (R) 46.1%
- Pat Quinn/Sheila Simon
- 2006 Election for Governor/Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
- Rod BlagojevichRod BlagojevichRod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
/Pat Quinn (D) (inc.), 49.79% - Judy Baar TopinkaJudy Baar TopinkaJudy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller and former Illinois State Treasurer, having served as Treasurer from 1995 to 2007, and former chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, first to be elected to three consecutive terms and the...
/Joe BirkettJoe BirkettJoseph E. Birkett is the DuPage County State’s Attorney and former Republican nominee for Illinois Lieutenant Governor with running-mate Judy Baar Topinka. Birkett has been State’s Attorney since October 1, 1996 when he was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Anthony Peccarelli...
(R), 39.26% - Rich WhitneyRich WhitneyRich Whitney is an Illinois politician and civil rights attorney who was the Illinois Green Party's nominee for Governor of Illinois in the elections of 2006 and 2010. During the 2006 campaign Whitney received endorsements from several newspapers, including the Rockford Register Star, Southwest...
/Julie Samuels (Green), 10.36%
- Rod Blagojevich
- 2002 Election for Governor / Lieutenant Governor
- Rod BlagojevichRod BlagojevichRod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
/Pat Quinn (D), 52% - Jim RyanJim Ryan (politician)James E. Ryan is an American politician who served two four-year terms as Illinois Attorney General. A career Republican, he received his party's nomination and ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Illinois against Rod Blagojevich in 2002. He has been a professor at Benedictine University since 2003...
/Carl HawkinsonCarl HawkinsonCarl Hawkinson is a former state legislator, State's Attorney, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety in the State of Illinois.-Public Offices:Carl Hawkinson served as Knox County States Attorney from 1976 to 1983...
(R), 45%
- Rod Blagojevich
- 1994 - Illinois Secretary of State
- George RyanGeorge RyanGeorge Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...
(R) (inc.) 61.5% - Patrick Quinn (D) 38.5%
- George Ryan
- 1990 - Illinois Treasurer
- Patrick Quinn (D) 55.7%
- Greg Baise (R) 44.3%
External links
- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn official state site
- Quinn for Illinois official campaign site
- GovernorQuinn Governor Pat Quinn's YouTube channel
- QuinnForIllinois Quinn campaign YouTube channel
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