Tag: pat quinn

Is this DOOM for Pat Quinn (D-INC, Illinois-GOV)?

I am hesitant to declare DOOM too early, but… wow.

Chicago’s championship Little League team greeted Illinois Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn with awkward silence, despite the best efforts of an enthusiastic emcee to rustle up some applause.

I mean. Wow. On the one hand, it’s like everybody is just counting the days until Pat Quinn is gone and Bruce Rauner becomes the next governor of Illinois. On the other hand, given the way that Quinn has made a mess of things, it’s surprising that Rauner would want the job. On the gripping hand, as far as I know Pat Quinn is not going to be leaving office while also under indictment, so arguably he’s the best governor Illinois has had in quite some time.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

Continue reading Is this DOOM for Pat Quinn (D-INC, Illinois-GOV)?

It is too early to say that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) will be going to jail.

Time for another installment in my favorite personal conspiracy theory: to wit, that the Illinois Combine (the ‘bipartisan’ consensus that really runs the state*) has decided that it’s time for the GOP to have a turn getting blamed for everything that goes wrong. Real shame about Pat Quinn not getting a second term, but what can you do? It’s time to offer up another sacrificial lamb: “A criminal grand jury has launched a probe into Gov. Pat Quinn’s troubled anti-violence program —  once likened to “a political slush fund” — delivering a major blow to the Democrat as he seeks re-election this fall.” Basically, Gov. Quinn’s Neighborhood Recovery program more or less handed money willy-nilly, and quite a few people in government and the public-private sector** apparently decided to take undue advantage of that. The big question is, of course, is there a piece of paper that shows that the Governor was involved in any of that? Continue reading It is too early to say that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) will be going to jail.

Pat Quinn thinks black Republicans are like Jewish collaborators to Nazis. …No, really.

I… am having difficulty processing this story.

Illinois Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn is in some hot water with the Jewish community after his campaign tweeted—and then quietly deleted—several messages urging backers to read an article comparing black Republican voters to Jews who collaborated with the Nazis.

That is indeed what the article said, and my difficulty is not in believing that Pat Quinn might think that such a comparison was warranted.  I am fully aware that he could think that, and does think that.  What is causing my head to short-circuit is that the Quinn campaign did not immediately have whatever fool intern was responsible for the governor’s endorsement of bigotry – over Passover weekend, no less! – drawn, quartered, and the pieces displayed as an attempt to placate critics.  What the Hell was Pat Quinn thinking?  Was Pat Quinn thinking?

Continue reading Pat Quinn thinks black Republicans are like Jewish collaborators to Nazis. …No, really.

Pat Quinn (D) orbits around idea of deploying Illinois National Guard to Chicago.

Pat Quinn is simply not very good at being a governor, is he?

Gov. Pat Quinn says he would consider using state resources to help combat Chicago street violence, but only if city officials want the assistance.

Speaking on this week’s mass shooting in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, Quinn was asked whether there have been discussions about sending in the state police or Illinois National Guard to assist Chicago police.

[snip]

Quinn did not specifically veto the idea of deploying Guard members in Chicago. A press aide later told CBS 2 the governor was speaking only about the possibility of using state police to help out.

Continue reading Pat Quinn (D) orbits around idea of deploying Illinois National Guard to Chicago.

Pat Quinn just lost the Democratic primary for IL-GOV.

It’s pretty much over, except for the shouting:

As Goddard notes, this is really, really good news for Bill Daley, and really, really bad news for Pat Quinn. Quinn’s biggest achievement thus far has been in not getting indicted for anything, which is frankly a bit of a problem for Illinois Governors at this point; his biggest hope was for a bitter, grenade-throwing primary. Unlikely to happen now.

Moe Lane

PS: Danged if I know how the general will go down; God knows that Daley as the nominee will drive GOP turnout, especially since Quinn is going to be probably more than a little bit scorched-earth-petulant at that point.

‘…but more importantly for the common good.’

The above is from Governor Pat Quinn (Democrat, although it’s fairly obvious from the quote) of Illinois; and it tells you everything that you need to know about Quinn’s mindset – not to mention the mindset of the Democratic party in general, too.

Here’s the background: the Sears Corporation has its headquarters in Illinois, and has been bribed offered incentives to stay in Illinois, despite the fact that Illinois itself is a rotten place to do business.  However, the bribes incentives run out in 2012, so the corporation is making sounds about moving somewhere else unless some new bribes incentives are offered.  You may safely guess from the previous sentences that I am not particularly interested in making Sears out to be the plucky little underdog in this conflict; it is in fact in an excellent position to get its bribes incentives, because Quinn doesn’t want to be the Governor Who Lost Sears To Texas.  And everybody knows it. Continue reading ‘…but more importantly for the common good.’

How many *other* racial incidents has Gov. Pat Quinn (D, IL) tried to cover up?

Because there’s already been one.

Background: Ken Snider, Illinois state trooper and former regional head of Quinn’s security detail, abruptly resigned both positions (among others) last month. Turns out the resignations are allegedly related to Snider using a racial epithet – the racial epithet, in fact – towards an African-American college student, as prelude to a fight (it would be stretching things to call what happened next a ‘brawl,’ but apparently at least one punch was thrown).  No arrests were made, which heavily suggests that the student was clearly not at fault in this incident.

Given that the alleged incident occurred in a Carlinville bar on St. Patrick’s Day, it is likely that alcohol was involved.  Snider’s motivations are unclear, aside from the obvious: it’s been reported that he has been acting a bit erratically this year already.  At any rate, the prominent Illinois Democrat has since resigned from pretty much his entire political/professional slate since the incident occurred.

And… that’s it.  That’s all that happened to Ken Snider.  A lot of resignations. Continue reading How many *other* racial incidents has Gov. Pat Quinn (D, IL) tried to cover up?

Amazon ended affiliate program in Illinois.

Right on schedule.

It got overshadowed by recent events both foreign and domestic, but last week Governor Pat Quinn (D, IL) signed legislation declaring that in-state affiliates for online sellers count as ‘a physical presence’ in Illinois, thus theoretically allowing the state to require those online sellers to collect sales tax information.  This is usually called the ‘Amazon tax*,’ as it is largely aimed at Amazon.com**. This is a long-standing dispute (H/T: Instapundit), and usually ends with the companies in question ending their affiliate programs: Illinois businesses and individuals were however assured (by groups like the Illinois Retail Merchants Association) that there was no chance that Amazon.com would dare end its affiliate program for Illinois***.

Turns out that this was incorrect: as usual in these cases, Amazon.com (and Overstock.com) immediately closed down its affiliate program for Illinois (beginning April 15), thus making the issue moot.  This means that no Illinois resident or company will receive a commission for sales – which means lost revenue, which means less taxable revenue for the state of Illinois (Amazon.com requires its affiliates to fill out 1099 forms, and the money that affiliates generate is subject to income tax).  It does not mean that Amazon.com itself is forbidden to Illinois: Illinois residents may continue to purchase products from the company – and given its current market share, the lack of affiliate linkage will probably not have any effect on the company’s sales at all.  In other words, the state of Illinois has just reduced its annual tax revenue and absolved Amazon.com of the necessity of paying out 4% to 15% commissions on any product indirectly sold on its behalf by a citizen of Illinois.

Brilliant move there, Governor Quinn.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

Continue reading Amazon ended affiliate program in Illinois.

#rsrh Gov. Pat Quinn (D, IL) disenfranchised military voters.

As Hot Air reminds us, Illinois had its primary in February, which should have been plenty of time for the state to prepare absentee ballots for overseas military personnel as per the MOVE Act.  To refresh your memory: the act dictates that all overseas ballots must be sent out no less than forty-five days before an election, and that states were required to make sure that this occurs.

Illinois failed to do this.  The Justice Department will ‘investigate,’ of course – but don’t expect this to be resolved before the election.  That military vote is unlikely to be voting Democratic in sufficient numbers to help mob banker Alexi Giannoulias (D) in his Senate race; and it certainly won’t benefit incumbent Pat Quinn (D).  So there’s no valid reason for the Illinois Democrat who’s President right now to jump on military disenfranchisement; at least, no reason that Barack Obama would recognize as valid…

Moe Lane

PS: If it isn’t close, they can’t cheat.  Bill Brady for Governor.  Mark Kirk for Senator.

Scott Lee Cohen bringing a knife to the IL-GOV race?

What?  Too soon?

What’s odd is the reaction to this:

Gov. Pat Quinn said he’s ready to take on Scott Lee Cohen in the general election if the embattled Chicago pawnbroker publicly announces he’s making an independent run for the state’s highest office.

“When all is said and done, there will be a robust contest of ideas,” Quinn said.

I mean, you would think that the normal reaction to this – to wit, shaking Cohen violently while shouting “YOU TOOK STEROIDS AND THREATENED YOUR GIRLFRIEND WITH A KNIFE, YOU FOOL! GET OUT OF MY STATE BEFORE I SET THE WOLFHOUNDS UPON YOU!” – would have been the expected one from Quinn.  I mean, let’s review: Quinn already has to deal with a Senatorial candidate who’s loaned money to convicted pimps and bookies, a Lt. Governor candidate who got selected (not elected) because she’s white and has a useful last name, and, well, a gubernatorial candidate who’s laboring under the burden of being Pat Quinn.  The last thing the man needs is to have to run against a guy who somehow managed to win a Democratic primary despite being somebody who likes steroids for himself and knives for his partners.

And trust me: this will come up on a regular basis.  The possibility of being able to use the slogan Vote Republican.  We don’t cut women and have it still be relevant to the race after all comes as most welcome news to those of us on the VRWC…

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.