More primary flash points
Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune has a very good piece on the cemetery scandal today…
Cemetery oversight should be seized from Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes’ office and placed under the governor’s control, recommended a panel set up by Gov. Pat Quinn to investigate the burial industry after the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal.
The governor’s Cemetery Oversight Task Force found that “a systematic failure of oversight and regulation of the for-profit cemetery industry” in Illinois was probably “a contributing factor to the criminal scheme that allegedly unfolded” at Burr Oak.
But it stopped short of saying Hynes — who audits cemetery finances and is Quinn’s rival in next year’s Democratic gubernatorial primary — could have prevented up to 300 bodies allegedly being dug up so their burial plots could be resold at the historic African-American cemetery near Alsip.
The Trib mercifully buried Rep. Ken Dunkin’s intemperate remarks. Not so with Chicago Public Radio, which has given Dunkin a lot of prominence in its coverage.
* Hynes’ full response…
“While it is unfortunate that it required the tragic events that occurred at Burr Oak Cemetery to bring to light the serious lack of regulation in the death care industry, we must seize this opportunity to finally bring much-needed oversight for which I have been fighting for many years. I appreciate that the task force is recommending many of the reforms that I’ve long advocated. The task force has put forth some new proposals which I intend to carefully review in the coming days. I look forward to working with the task force members in the upcoming veto session of the General Assembly to finally bring about additional consumer protections and strong oversight of the death care industry in Illinois. We owe it to the memory of those buried at Burr Oak and their loved ones to see this through to the very end.”
* Meanwhile, Gov. Quinn has accused Comptroller Hynes of “grandstanding” on the bill payment issue. Hynes, you already know, is refusing to pay some state bills for advertising and consulting contracts. Tribune…
“I don’t think it’s good to inject your political campaign into something as important as complying with the law of Illinois,” Quinn said. “If you want to have political stunts, don’t do it with the law of our state.” […]
Quinn said Hynes could be opening the state to lawsuits from vendors who aren’t receiving payments, but refused to say if he would take action to force payments.
“Frankly, I don’t take the matter seriously, from this standpoint I think it’s pure politics,” Quinn said at a morning press conference regarding cemetery regulation. “It’s unfortunate that he has to engage in that kind of approach, but, you know, he knows what the law is.”
“I would hope upon reflection they would stop the antics and carry out their legal responsibilities.”
The Hynes office sent me this yesterday…
Also, regarding the contracts, Rich, as you are aware, the Comptroller has a long track record of sending contracts back under many governors. He refused to pay for flu shots the state never received and he’s frozen pork spending – those are just two examples. Contracts can be canceled. They can be reduced. What the Comptroller is saying is, in light of the state’s fiscal situation, does the Governor really want to make these contracts a priority? Pat Quinn has a decision to make. Does he want to spend $53 million on consultant and marketing contracts, or does he want to spend it on health care. It is his choice. We will honor his choice.
So, now he’ll honor Quinn’s choice after saying he won’t honor Quinn’s choice?
* Related…
* Quinn wants to reverse some of his probation cuts: “The Governor feels that supplemental funds must be provided for probation services in every county of the state,” Jentz said in a statement. “He will make an announcement soon regarding the use of discretionary dollars to support these vital programs.”
* Illinois’ 2010 gubernatorial hopefuls hop on the social media train
* Accused out on bond; ‘truth will come out’
* Burr Oak owners regain control of cemetery
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 10:53 am:
Quinn looked awfully uncomfortable up on the stage while Dunkin was riffing.
- Bill - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:05 am:
SubGov,
Oh, so it is OK to stiff health care providers as a budget gimmick but don’t even think about not paying for consultants and advertising contracts. Quit grandstanding and playing politics, which, by the way, you are not very good at, and try governing for a change.
So, your commission thinks that you should be in charge of cemetery regulation, do they? They must have based that recommendation on the great job you have done handling the state’s fiscal crisis. Way to flip flop on the probation cuts. Our state must really be flush with “discretionary funds”. What are you going to do when, after the primary, the GA passes on your unfair income redistribution tax scheme? Wait, I know, tax cigarettes another buck and put Keno machines in bars. Maybe sell the tollway and lottery. That ought to do it.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:06 am:
Yeah.
This is how it is supposed to go down. Hynes, that is. Dan played the cemetery issue the best he could, but loses due to the limits placed on his office. Then he loses again regarding his refusal to pay bills due to the limits placed on his office.
Detect a pattern here Dan?
You have been Comptroller for over a decade - so you and your little staff of political helpers should have detected the lack of authority behind the political moves you have been making. What gives? Who is telling you that you can be a major political player because of your current elected office? What have they been smoking?
The Comptroller is only half as important as a normal state treasurer, because Illinois also has a state treasurer - the whole office can be replaced and combined into one normal treasurer’s office. Being Comptroller isn’t nothing - but hey, anyone can get a 10% off Red Lobster coupon too.
Then there is your experiences with Nutjob Blagojevich. You lost those battles! Against Blagojevich! What makes you think your office empowers you to do much more than sign checks and hold the office doors open when folks walk through the Thompson Center?
It’s not you, it is the limits of being Comptroller - but now, it is you, and in a bad way, because you still haven’t figured out after a decade what your job empowers you to really do. So you lose.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:27 am:
If these guys are the front runners from the dem party then the office is open season for any GOP who can run an effective campaign.
Any GOP out there who fits that description?
- Bill - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:28 am:
Dan,
No.
- shore - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:32 am:
2 career democratic chicago politicians shooting spitballs who haven’t worked out, yawn.
Adam Ancheefski looks better every day.
- Vince - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:43 am:
Quinn seemed very careful not to step on the gas with the cemetery issue yesterday. But we’ll know his internal polls are showing a tighter race if he starts playing the cemetery card later in the campaign. There are still a lot of raw nerves in the A.A. community on this issue. Quinn will exploit that if he needs to.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 11:55 am:
Bill,
I don’t suppose you would give a name anyway?
- bored now - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:03 pm:
i thought the general consensus was that the republican was mark kirk. but he decided to give up his congressional career in to stand with the tea-baggers and the birthers against president obama. kirk was a club for growth conservative before he was a moderate before he returned to being a conservative. i’m sure there’s another twist in the political winds for kirk before this election cycle is out…
- Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:27 pm:
DD ill give a name
Jim Ryan
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 1:32 pm:
What’s up with Quinn’s “Leadership by Commission” gag? First he appoints a Reform Commission to tell him what ethics reforms to make. Then he needs a Commission to tell him that clout was influencing admissions decisions at U of I. Now he has a cemetary commission report that says we need more oversight.
Let’s see: Quinn vetoes the ethics legislation, demands all trustees resign (and caves when they don’t). Now there cemetary commission proposals could already be law if Quinn didn’t torpedo Hynes’ legislation.
Here’s a QOTD for you Rich: Name Quinn’s next commission and guess the recommendations it will reach. Tip for Quinn: you’re the governor, please govern.
Or better yet, appoint a handful of commenters here to a Blogger’s Commission and we’ll figure everything out for you.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:15 pm:
–What’s up with Quinn’s “Leadership by Commission” gag?==
I never would have expected Quinn to govern anyway else. He’s definitely from the Pabst School of Government.
But he’s not the only one. It’s pretty simple: something hot comes up, and you get a bunch of interested parties to commit to something. They’re invested, and they’re cover for a position you can live with, but also bargain with.
- 46th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:17 pm:
Dan: I love ya, but a gubernatorial campaign is not the time to try to coin new phrases like “Death care industry.”
Quinn: I love ya, too. Why don’t you pull the witness slips to see if the Comptroller’s Office actually took a position on that budget — or any budget — when it was before the General Assembly.
47th Ward, I love you most of all. Please count me in as a member of the Bloggers Commission. I have some ideas.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:18 pm:
I actually support the commission concept. instead of acting as an expert on all things, QUinn puts together a panel of, hoepfully, exprts to provide him advice.
I alwatys thougth ventura made an exccelent point when he was gov, he basically said it was not his job to know how to do everything, it was his job to locate the people who knew how to handle x.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Sep 16, 09 @ 2:33 pm:
I realize the value of enlisting experts, but really, did he need Ab Mikva to tell him that clout was being used to game admissions at U of I? It’s like he couldn’t afford a subscription to the Tribune or something. The sky is blue, and the sun rises in the east. Some things are obvious.
And why bother with a reform commission if you don’t intend to implement, you know, their recommendations.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.