Results tagged “illinoisgovernorrace”

The race for Illinois Governor got even more crowded yesterday with an entry announcement from personal injury lawyer and political newcomer Edmund Scanlan. Scanlan played up his status as political neophyte at a press conference, opening by saying “I've never run for office before, maybe that's a good thing.” He spoke of the history of corruption in Illinois and said that he would work for pension reform, campaign finance reform and run the state “like a private business.”

Yesterday Illinois State Congressman Mike Quigley threw his support behind Pat Quinn for a full term as governor in 2010. At a press conference Monday morning, Quigley said “Our state has been paying the cost of corruption for too long; now more than ever, we can't afford it.” With the state still reeling from the omnipresent punchline that is former Governor Rod Blagojevich, Quigley joked that “Hunting for corruption in Illinois is like hunting for cows. They come up to you and moo. It's hard to govern when people are laughing about this government instead of functioning.”

Despite the fact that he already has terrific ratings in his reality show "the news," Rod Blagojevich is requesting permission from the judge to allow him to go to Costa Rica in June to film a "Swiss Family Robinson"-style reality show for NBC called, "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" Blago will be dropped in the middle of the jungle with nine other celebrities, including Nancy Kerrigan, and they will compete for food and supplies. Viewers will vote people off, and Blago would make $80,000 per episode. The show's website says, "The last remaining star will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle, winning a substantial cash prize for their favorite charity." Yeah, I'm sure Blago would give that money to charity. The Friends of Blago Fund or The Fuckin' Golden Foundation.

Even before Gov. Pat Quinn releases details on his proposed income tax hike which he calls "the least bad option," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has already taken a jab at a tax increase, which folks are saying is the "opening shot" in her bid for the governor's office next year: