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Posted: Friday, 30 January 2009 11:10AM
Quinn: Will 'Work Like Hell' To Fix Illinois
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ― A day after being sworn in as the 41st governor of Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn plans to hit the ground running in Springfield.
"Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and organize -- that's what I plan to do," Quinn said at a news conference Friday morning
"We've had a body-blow to our government... that's over," Quinn said . "Today is a new beginning. We're going to fumigate government from top to bottom to make sure there's no corruption."
Quinn served for two terms under the deposed Gov. Rod Blagojevich, but they had little in common. Quinn has said the two have not spoken in more than a year and Blagojevich said last year that Quinn wasn't even part of his administration.
Quinn said he didn't expect he would end up taking the state's highest office, but he said he is not intimidated by the duty.
On Friday, he began his news conference by signing an executive order that formally established the Illinois Reform Commission under the governor's office.
The commission first met on Jan. 22 while Blagojevich was still governor, and is headed by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins, who led the prosecution against former Gov. George Ryan. The panel also includes Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, Northwestern University football coach Pat Fitzgerald, City of Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, and DePaul University President Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, among others.
The group has been given 100 days to come up with a blueprint for cleaning up Illinois government.
He reiterated Friday his desire to get Illinois residents back to work.
"If you're able-bodied and breathing, we want you working," Quinn said.
"We absolutely in Illinois need to have teamwork," Quinn said. "It has been said by President Ronald Reagan that it's unbelievable how human beings can compromise when no one cares who gets the credit."
Quinn noted that he was not elected by the people, but hopes people will give him his blessing.
"Our government has to be as honest and straightforward as the people of Illinois are," he said.
He invoked the names of other notable Illinois politicians, saying he hoped to "live up to the standards of Paul Simon, Paul Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and all the people who have come through and done a good job for the state of Illinois."
Quinn particularly focused on the late Sen. Simon, whom Quinn has previously lionized as a champion of education, civil rights, and public participation in government. To emphasize his admiration, Quinn even brought along one of Simon's bowties.
"I think that kind of bowtie honesty – that kind Paul Simon-type of honesty – is what we need in Illinois," he said.
At the State Capitol Thursday, a huge crowd walked with him from the rotunda to the governor's office after he was sworn in. While Blagojevich largely eschewed the Executive Mansion for his Chicago house, Quinn celebrated by dining with his family at the mansion.
Afterward, Quinn pledged to restore the faith of the people of Illinois and the integrity of their government.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said on the CBS 2 Morning News Friday that Quinn has his work cut out for him with the state in a fiscal crisis.
"The first thing he has to do is to get the confidence of the people of the state of Illinois," Madigan said. "We are so weary of former Governor Blagojevich and his antics, and Pat Quinn needs to stand up, say he's going to be there to lead – which I think he's already done – recognize the economic conditions the state faces, the fiscal crisis we're in, and deal with the integrity crisis, and he's already said those are his priorities, and all of us in state government are looking forward to having a governor we can actually work with, because that has not been the model – that has not been the situation – for really the past 6 years."
Madigan said Quinn first needs to "get his arms and his head around the budget," given that the state is unable to pay its bills and is carrying a deficit of an estimated $3 billion to $5 billion.
She also advised Quinn to help pass tougher laws that would ensure that Blagojevich's alleged misconduct in office cannot happen again.
State House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Plainfield) said both parties would have to work together under Quinn.
"I don't think we have any choice. I think we've got some issues that range from the budget – we have a hole of several billion dollars, we need to look at an infrastructure project, we're going to get some grants – federal money – from the government, and then, of course, people are struggling to pay their mortgages, are they going to have a job, gas prices, et cetera," Cross said. "So I think he may have in the past had some reform ideas that some liked, some didn't like, but there are some pressing issues we all need to work on, I think, in the next few weeks and months."
Commuters told CBS 2 Friday morning that while they were not especially familiar with Quinn, they were hopeful.
"The whole state of the nation and the entire world – it's really tough times, and it's going to be interesting to see what happens," said commuter Joe Kormos.
Quinn, 60, is a former state treasurer and tax attorney. He is best known for his grass-roots efforts to cut big government and protect the little guy. He also helped start the Citizens Utility Board.
CBS 2's Joanie Lum and Chief Correspondent Jay Levine contributed to this report.
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