Quinn hit with two quid pro quo charges on tax hike

Quid pro quo land

Like flotsam and jetsam after a ship sinking, allegations are surfacing in regards to Illinois' 67 percent personal income tax increase.

Careen Gordon, a Democrat from Morris, was defeated in her reelection attempt last fall. In her final days as a member of the state House of Representatives, not only did she vote for Quinn's tax hike, she was appointed by the governor to an $85,000-a-year seat on the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Gordon is a former prosecutor. A Quinn spokesperson says "there was no quid pro quo."

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady isn't buying it: "That’s like saying it was simply a coincidence that the governor vetoed McCormick Place reforms last year after getting a $75,000 donation from the Teamsters Union."

I heard about this allegation while visiting Capitol Fax. Rich Miller who runs the blog, calls it "bunk," but I'm not so sure. House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) told WLS-AM's Bill Cameron that he heard rumors that Quinn traded votes with some Democratic legislators--promising he would sign into law a bill abolishing the death penalty if they voted for his tax increase.

"You know, they were having a tough time getting the votes in the House and the Senate, so I'm told, and in exchange for a number of folks voting in exchange a number of folks voting who were in support of the death penalty abolition, he said he would sign it," Cross said.

In response, the governor's office says, "Baseless political attacks do a great disservice to the elected members of the General Assembly who had the courage to take the action necessary to bring economic recovery and budget reform to Illinois."

Quinn campaigned last year not only as someone who favored a much more modest income tax hike, he also said he supported the death penalty. The capital punishment abolition bill sits on his desk.

Related posts:

And so it begins...Quinn recall effort announced
Gov. Quinn on "doing the right thing"
General Assembly overrides Quinn veto on convention reform, blocks Teamster pay-to-play bid

Technorati tags: Politics business economy news Patrick Quinn pat quinn government taxes capital punishment death penalty