Help
Book creator (disable)

Pat Quinn (politician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other people named Pat Quinn, see Pat Quinn (disambiguation).
Pat Quinn
Quinn at the 2010 Chicago Green Festival
41st Governor of Illinois
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 29, 2009
Lieutenant None (2009-11)
Sheila Simon (since 2011)
Preceded by Rod Blagojevich
45th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
In office
January 13, 2003 – January 29, 2009
Governor Rod Blagojevich
Preceded by Corinne Wood
Succeeded by Sheila Simon
Treasurer of Illinois
In office
January 14, 1991 – January 9, 1995
Governor Jim Edgar
Preceded by Jerome Cosentino
Succeeded by Judy Topinka
Personal details
Born Patrick Joseph Quinn III
December 16, 1948 (1948-12-16) (age 63)
Hinsdale, Illinois, United States
Political party Democratic Party
Residence Executive Mansion
Alma mater Georgetown University
Northwestern University
Profession Tax attorney
Religion Roman Catholic[1]
Signature

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.

Contents

[edit] Education and personal life

Born in 1948 in Hinsdale, Illinois, 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.[2] 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[3] and a sports editor for The Hoya.[4] After taking a few years off from education, he received a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1980.[5]

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.[6]

Quinn was briefly a practicing tax attorney before his career in public office.

[edit] Early Political career

[edit] Political activism

Before running for public office, Quinn was already involved in political action, serving as an aide to Governor Daniel Walker.[2] 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.[2] 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.[6]

Quinn drew more attention to his causes by holding press conferences on Sundays, seen as a slow news day.[2] 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.[6][7] This also earned him some enemies among the state's establishment, since they had fewer seats and possibly less power.[2]

In 1982, Quinn was elected as commissioner of the Cook County Board of Tax Appeals, now known as the Board of Review.[2] 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.[8][9]

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.[8]

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.[10]

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 bags 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.[11] 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.[12]

[edit] Lieutenant Governor

Quinn as lieutenant governor in 2006

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 Blagojevich. In Illinois, candidates for lieutenant governor and governor run in separate primary elections, but are conjoined as a single ticket for the general election.[2] This same ticket won re-election in 2006, where Quinn was unopposed in the primary.[6] While lieutenant governor, according to his official biography, his priorities were consumer advocacy, environmental protection, health care, broadband deployment, and veterans' affairs.[13]

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..."[14] 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.[15]

[edit] Governor of Illinois

On January 29, 2009 Rod Blagojevich was removed from office by a vote of 59-0 by the Illinois State Senate.[16] 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.[17]

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".[18] Quinn works primarily from his office in the Illinois State House.

[edit] 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 Blagojevich'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.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21] However, the bill that eventually passed increased the personal income tax by 2 percent.

[edit] Ethics reform

On January 5, 2009, Quinn appointed Patrick M. Collins to chair the Illinois Reform Commission, which was tasked with making recommendations for ethical reform for Illinois government.[22][23]

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.[24]

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.[25][26] 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.[26][27]

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.[28]

[edit] Environment and Energy

Quinn at the Green expo as governor in 2009

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,[29] and promoted measures such as rain gardens for water conservation. As governor, Quinn helped pass measures on solar and wind energy,[30] 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 Club, Illinois's largest environmental group, endorsed Quinn, calling him "The Green Governor."[31]

[edit] Death penalty

On March 9, 2011, Quinn signed the bill which abolished the death penalty in Illinois.[32] 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."[33]

[edit] 2010 election

Main article: Illinois gubernatorial election, 2010

In the Democratic primary, Quinn defeated State Comptroller Daniel Hynes with 50.4% of the vote.[34] 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.[35] 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.[36] Quinn's campaign aired television ads produced by Joe Slade White that repeatedly asked the question of his opponent, "Who is this guy?"[37] Quinn's campaign was named by RealClearPolitics.com as the #5 General Election upset in the country.[38] 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.[39] It was stated by Politico to be the 7th closest gubernatorial in United States of America history.

[edit] 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.[40] Despite the tax increase, a report from the Civic Federation in September 2011 projected a $8.3 billion deficit to end the budget year.[41] The Illinois Policy Institute has calculated that the tax hike will cost the average Illinois household one week's pay.[42]

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] References

  1. ^ Drake, Bruce. "What Is Pat Quinn's Religion?". Politicsdaily.com. http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/02/what-is-pat-quinns-religion/. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Quinn Would Face $2 Billion Budget Gap as Blagojevich likes apples and to dance Successor". Bloomberg News. 2008-12-15. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aMxIWZomA7PM&refer=us. Retrieved 2008-12-15. 
  3. ^ "Polish-American Awareness Foundation, Inc - Polish-American Awareness Foundation, Inc". Paafonline.org. http://paafonline.org/jan-karski-event-overview.php. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  4. ^ Mimms, Sarah (January 30, 2009). "GU Alum Replaces Impeached Blagojevich". The Hoya. http://www.thehoya.com/gu-alum-replaces-impeached-blagojevich-1.1894352#.TsSZ-vLNm4Z/. Retrieved November 17, 2011. 
  5. ^ Fenwick High School. "Pat Quinn 1967". http://www.friarsonline.com/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=462. 
  6. ^ a b c d Political Base. "Pat Quinn - Issues, Money, Videos". http://www.politicalbase.com/people/pat-quinn/18964/. 
  7. ^ Stepanek, Marcia (1980-02-08). "Pat Quinn: a man politicians love to hate". Illinois Periodicals Online. http://www.lib.niu.edu/1980/ii800204.html. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  8. ^ a b Hawthorne, Michael (2008-12-10). "Pat Quinn waiting in the wings". Chicago Tribune. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/dec/10/local/chi-quinn-profiledec10. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  9. ^ "Biographical information on Quinn". Associated Press. WTOP.com. 2009-01-29. http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=104&sid=1549057. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  10. ^ Neal, Steve (1995-12-12). "Outsider Quinn Vows to Look Out for the 'Little Guy'". Chicago Sun-Times. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4313378.html. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  11. ^ Selvam, Ashok (April 14, 2009), "Quinn tackles income tax plan, gay marriage during Harper visit", Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=286331, retrieved 2010-02-02 
  12. ^ Duncanson, Jon (September 18, 2006). "Quinn Wants Boston Tea Party Revolt Against ComEd". CBS Broadcasting, Inc. http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/ComEd.Pat.Quinn.2.332217.html. Retrieved 2010-02-01. [dead link]
  13. ^ "Lt. Governor Pat Quinn". Standing Up for Illinois. 2006-11-07. http://www.standingupforillinois.org/about/biography.php. Retrieved 2010-08-29. 
  14. ^ Gregory, David (2008-12-14). "'Meet the Press' transcript for Dec. 14, 2008". MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28222119/. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  15. ^ Burton, Cheryl (2008-12-15). "Quinn alters his plan for governor". WLS-TV. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6557144. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  16. ^ Long, Ray; Rick Pearson (2009-01-30). "Impeached Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been removed from office". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-blagojevich-impeachment-removal,0,5791846.story?page=1. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  17. ^ Illinois Senate Kicks Blagojevich Out of Office, Fox News, January 29, 2009.
  18. ^ McDermott, Kevin; Kari Andren (2009-01-30). "Rod Blagojevich removed from office by unanimous vote of Illinois Senate". St. Louis Today. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/85FA7F9053846C2E8625754E00156C4E?OpenDocument. Retrieved 2009-01-30. 
  19. ^ Ferkenhoff, Eric (2008-12-16). "Pat Quinn: The Man Who Would Replace Blagojevich". Time. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1866690,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  20. ^ Garcia, Monique (2009-07-08). "Gov. Quinn shifts gears on cutbacks and vetoes budget". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-quinn_budget_vetojul08,0,5608924.story. Retrieved 2008-07-08. 
  21. ^ Long, Ray; Ashley Rueff (2009-03-13). "Illinois income tax rate may rise by 50%". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-quinn-tax-hike-13mar13,0,7352846.story. Retrieved 2010-01-22. 
  22. ^ "Illinois Ethics Reform: Panel Releases Report of Recommendations," Chicago Tribune, April 29, 2009, found at Chicago Tribune website Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  23. ^ "Illinois Reform Commission - Mission". Reformillinoisnow.org. http://reformillinoisnow.org/. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  24. ^ Long, Ray; Ashley Rueff (2009-04-06). "Burris election off the table". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-090306-burris-election,0,6431926.story. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  25. ^ "Ill. Gov Quinn mostly paid his own way," USA Today, March 3, 2009, at 3A, found at USA Today website. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  26. ^ a b John O'Connor, "AP review shows new Ill. governor often paid own travel expenses instead of charging taxpayers, AP and Chicago Tribune, March 3, 2009, found at Chicago Tribune website. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  27. ^ "Report: Quinn eschewed tax dollars for meals, travel," ABC Affiliate WLS-TV, Tuesday, March 03, 2009, found at ABC website. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
  28. ^ Malone, Tara; Stacy St. Clair (2009-06-11). "University of Illinois clout: Gov. Pat Quinn gives clout-list panel its marching orders". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-college-clout-quinn-11-jun11,0,3135671.story. Retrieved 2009-07-08. 
  29. ^ "It's Our River Day". Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. 2010-01-29. http://www.mcdef.org/ItsOurRiverDay.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-10. 
  30. ^ "Governor Pat Quinn signs green bills into law at 2009 Sustainable University Symposium". News Releases Listing. 2010-01-29. http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/PressReleasesListShow.cfm?RecNum=7699. Retrieved 2010-09-10. 
  31. ^ "YouTube - The Green Governor - Pat Quinn". Sierra Club IL PAC. 2010-01-29. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3cK52BLFE. Retrieved 2010-09-10. 
  32. ^ "Illinois Abolishes Death Penalty, Clears Death Row". NPR. 2011-03-09. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/03/09/134399592/illinois-abolishes-death-penalty-clears-death-row. Retrieved 2011-03-09. 
  33. ^ "Illinois Abolishes Death Penalty". Democracy_Now!. 2011-03-10. http://www.democracynow.org/2011/3/10/headlines#7. Retrieved 2011-03-10. 
  34. ^ "Chicago Tribune - Election Results". Chicago Tribune. http://elections.chicagotribune.com/. Retrieved 2010-02-05. 
  35. ^ "Democrats pick Simon as Quinn's running mate". Chicago Tribune. 2010-03-27. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/03/democrats-pick-quinn-running-mate-simon-and-turner-are-finalists.html. 
  36. ^ Pearson, Rick; Long, Ray (November 5, 2010). "Republican Bill Brady concedes governor's race to Quinn". Chicago Tribune. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/11/republican-bill-brady-expected-to-concede-governors-race-today.html. Retrieved November 5, 2010. 
  37. ^ "Quinn, Brady neck and neck in new Tribune poll". Chicago Tribune. 2010-09-30. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/09/quinn-brady-neck-and-neck-in-new-tribune-poll.html. 
  38. ^ "Top 10 Upsets of 2010 - 5. IL Gov: Pat Quinn Hangs On". RealClearPolitics. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/lists/top_10_upsets_2010/pat_quinn_hangs_on.html. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  39. ^ "Campaigns & Elections Names 2011 Class of Rising Stars". Campaigns & Elections Magazine. 2011-06-06. http://www.campaignsandelections.com/campaign-insider/Campaigns-and-Elections-Names--2011-Class-of-Rising-Stars. 
  40. ^ "Ill. Gov. Quinn signs major tax increase into law," Associated Press January 13, 2011
  41. ^ Garcia, Monique (26 September 2011). "Illinois budget deficit to hit $8 billion despite tax increase". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-illinois-state-budget-report-20110926,0,7987489.story. Retrieved 27 September 2011. 
  42. ^ http://illinoispolicy.org/news/article.asp?ArticleSource=4087
  43. ^ "2007-2008 Illinois Blue Book" (PDF). Illinois General Election November 7, 2006 Summary of General Vote (page 466). Office of Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State. 2007-2008. http://www.sos.state.il.us/publications/illinois_bluebook/elections/electionresults.pdf. Retrieved February 7, 2010. 
  44. ^ a b Illinois Blue Book

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pat Quinn
Political offices
Preceded by
Jerome Cosentino		 Treasurer of Illinois
1991–1995		 Succeeded by
Judy Topinka
Preceded by
Corinne Wood		 Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
2003–2009		 Succeeded by
Sheila Simon
Preceded by
Rod Blagojevich		 Governor of Illinois
2009–present		 Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by
Rod Blagojevich		 Democratic nominee for Governor of Illinois
2010		 Most recent
United States order of precedence
Preceded by
Joe Biden
as Vice President		 Order of Precedence of the United States
Within Illinois		 Succeeded by
Mayor of city
in which event is held
Succeeded by
Otherwise John Boehner
as Speaker of the House of Representatives
Preceded by
Phil Bryant
as Governor of Mississippi		 Order of Precedence of the United States
Outside Illinois		 Succeeded by
Robert Bentley
as Governor of Alabama
AL Bentley (R)
AK Parnell (R)
AZ Brewer (R)
AR Beebe (D)
CA Brown (D)
CO Hickenlooper (D)
CT Malloy (D)
DE Markell (D)
FL Scott (R)
GA Deal (R)
HI Abercrombie (D)
ID Otter (R)
IL Quinn (D)
IN Daniels (R)
IA Branstad (R)
KS Brownback (R)
KY Beshear (D)
LA Jindal (R)
ME LePage (R)
MD O'Malley (D)
MA Patrick (D)
MI Snyder (R)
MN Dayton (D)
MS Bryant (R)
MO Nixon (D)
MT Schweitzer (D)
NE Heineman (R)
NV Sandoval (R)
NH Lynch (D)
NJ Christie (R)
NM Martinez (R)
NY Cuomo (D)
NC Perdue (D)
ND Dalrymple (R)
OH Kasich (R)
OK Fallin (R)
OR Kitzhaber (D)
PA Corbett (R)
RI Chafee (I)
SC Haley (R)
SD Daugaard (R)
TN Haslam (R)
TX Perry (R)
UT Herbert (R)
VT Shumlin (D)
VA McDonnell (R)
WA Gregoire (D)
WV Tomblin (D)
WI Walker (R)
WY Mead (R)
DC Gray (Mayor) (D)

Territories:
AS Tulafono (D)
GU Calvo (R)
MP Fitial (R)
PR Fortuño (R)
VI de Jongh (D)
 
Governors
Territorial Governors
(1809–1818)
Governors
(since 1818)
Seal of Illinois.svg
 
Lieutenant Governors
Current statewide political officials of Illinois
U.S. Senators
Seal of Illinois
State government
Senate
House
Supreme Court
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pat_Quinn_(politician)&oldid=470669125"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages