Quinn Calls on Blago: Back Recall

Lt Governor Pat Quinn called on Rod Blagojevich to "rock the system" this weekend by leading the fight to pass a recall amendment to the state constitution. "If you really want to rock the system and end business as usual, recall is the ultimate weapon," said Quinn in a statement to the press. "Governor Blagojevich has long said that he joins me in supporting the voters' right to recall unfit, inept or dishonest elected officials. I hope he will join me in testifying in favor of HJRCA28 at Wednesday’s hearing in the Senate and demand a straight up-or-down Senate vote on this historic Recall Amendment."

Although the bill to put the amendment before voters in November cleared the House 75 - 33 last week, it still needs to get through the Senate. Quinn joined State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) on Friday in denouncing what they termed "shenanigans" in the Senate to kill the amendment. The bill in being sponsored by state Sen. Donne Trotter (D-Chicago), who told the Tribune last week that he thought the amendment was "stupid". “As a matter of fact, what I told Representative Franks is that I believe it's a bad bill and it's a stupid bill, and I don't think it should focus on getting rid of someone in a way that circumvents the Constitution and free and fair elections,” Trotter told the DeKalb Daily Chronicle. "Sometimes, waiting for the next election is waiting too long," Franks told the Tribune.