Marathon Pundit: Quinn in Gitmo North flip flop, which was once Durbin's "dream come true"

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Quinn in Gitmo North flip flop, which was once Durbin's "dream come true"

Fourteen months ago, with the panache of sports champions, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and US Sen. Dick Durbin revealed their plan to turn the mostly-empty state prison in Thomson, Illinois into a federal terrorist detention facility for jihadists currently incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Durbin called it "a dream come true."

There was just one problem: Illinoisans saw Gitmo North as a nightmare. And they still do.

But the state is still trying to sell the northwestern Illinois correctional center to the feds--which isn't a bad idea--the state badly needs the cash. Of course the federal government is broke too, but that's another subject for another time.

But since Durbin's "dream" was announced, the Land of Lincoln elected a Republican senator, Mark Kirk, who has been steadfast in his opposition to Gitmo North.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Quinn met with Durbin and the sale of the Thomson facility was discussed, as was a Kirk letter that asked for "assurance that detainees from Guantanamo would not be moved to the downstate [Thomson is not downstate] facility." When Quinn was asked if that letter would come from the White House, Quinn replied, "We hope so."

Quinn--you are a flip-flopper. But I'm glad you changed your mind.

However, even before the GOP takeover of the House of Representatives, the votes weren't there to move the terrorists to Thomson or anywhere else.

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