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* Remember when Gov. Pat Quinn moved Illinois Power Agency Director Mark Pruitt out of office? Quinn was upset that Pruitt wasn’t moving fast enough on signing long-term alternative energy power contracts. He replaced Pruitt with retired ComEd executive Arlene Juracek. But Juracek quickly voided Pruitt’s work on alt energy and “clean coal” plants…
In an unexpected move, [Juracek] reversed Mr. Pruitt’s plan to solicit offers for 20-year contracts for wind farm developers — a priority of Mr. Quinn, who sees green jobs growth as a major part of his economic development agenda for the state. Instead, she plans to solicit offers for one-year contracts only, which the wind industry has complained won’t foster development of new wind farms in the state because developers can’t get financing unless they have long-term sales contracts. […]
In addition, Ms. Juracek reversed Mr. Pruitt’s plan to solicit bids for power from “clean-coal” plants, a provision aimed at allowing the developers of the proposed FutureGen 2.0 project to finance the part of the project not subsidized by the U.S. Department of Energy. FutureGen is a top priority of Mr. Quinn.
* Well, yesterday, the House overwhelmingly passed a measure that essentially fires Acting Director Juracek. From the amendment’s synopsis…
Provides the Executive Ethics Commission with the ability to appoint Acting and Temporary Directors of the Illinois Power Agency, and limits Acting Directors to 60-day terms. Effective immediately.
The bill text also allows the Executive Ethics Commission to fire Juracek right away…
Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the Executive Ethics Commission from removing an acting Director or from appointing an acting Director as the Director of the Illinois Power Agency.
Gov. Quinn can’t directly control the EEC, which is why the commission was given the authority.
* And just for good measure, the proposal forbids Juracek’s reappointment if the Senate refuses to confirm her…
No person rejected by the Senate for the office of Director of the Illinois Power Agency shall, except at the Senate’s request, be nominated again for that office at the same session or be appointed to that office during a recess of that Senate.
The Senate’s State Government and Veterans Affairs Committee meets today at 10:10 am to take up the proposal.
[I was looking at two synopses at once, and somehow mistook one roll call for another. Headline and content updated to reflect the proper roll call. That’s what I get for doing too many things at once. Oops.]
*** UPDATE *** With a hat tip to a commenter, the proposal was unanimously approved by a Senate committee today. And, yes, the vote was really unanimous. I double checked the status page just to make sure.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 9:45 am
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Sounds like an unconstitutional intrusion on executive branch functions. The legislature has no business making executive appointments. The IPA is an executive regulatory body. This is one bridge too far. Madigan should have simply relied on the Senate to reject the appointment. Quinn should challenge legislation in court.
Comment by Aristotle Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 9:53 am
Wow…
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 9:54 am
===The legislature has no business making executive appointments.===
They’re not making an appointment. They’re firing an appointee. That has plenty of precedence.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 9:56 am
Thanks for the clarification Rich. I’ve stared at too many roll calls so I thought I was losing it.
Comment by Hoping for Rational Thought Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:09 am
I think a question once posed by Pat’s old running mate summed up best why the governor appointed Juracek.
What was he thinking?
Comment by Boone Logan Square Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:14 am
I could be totally wrong, but I believe that the Legislature actually writes the laws that govern the whole appointment process. So, this is completely within their purview.
Comment by anon good nurse, anon Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:14 am
Agree this is a step too far, and using a sledgehammer when a thumbtack would suffice. It’s nasty uppercut at the Gov. and only Madigan would be this clever.
Using the Ethics Commission in this way dilutes its real mission, and could imply that Juracek has been removed for ethics violations, which would be patently unfair. It also implies that they act at Madigan’s direction, which would be tragic.
Better to have the Senate reject the nomination, then limit the ability of all acting appointees to serve without Senate review.
Comment by walkinfool Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:17 am
===so I thought I was losing it. ===
LOL
Yeah. Stupid error. Listening to HREV hearing, talking on phone, texting my wife, posting to Facebook, watching Twitter feeds, checking Google News and writing a blog post all at the same time caught up with me. Oops.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:24 am
This has been a strange episode all the way around.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:29 am
Good. There’s a sound reason we don’t want foxes guarding the henhouse.
Comment by Aldyth Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:33 am
Hopefully Quinn vetoes speed cameras law to show who’s in charge. This could get interesting.
Comment by Fed up Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:41 am
Passed by the Senate State Government and Veterans Affairs Committee 9-0-0
Comment by Agricola Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 10:59 am
In a word: YAY! You. Go. Pat.
Comment by Borealis Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 11:07 am
Footnote: What was he thinking?
Comment by Borealis Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 11:20 am
–Thinking?–
Just impulse.
Comment by King Louis XVI Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 12:02 pm
???
Stay tuned campers.
Comment by Borealis Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 12:14 pm
I think folks are missing a key point here when they talk about this as a step too far. The legislature already over-rode the governor’s veto so the IPA is no longer an executive branch agency reporting to the governor. The agency reports to the Executive Ethics Commission (which is also where procurement now resides) so all this did is clarify the Commission’s ability to hire and fire the director and to appoint an acting director in the event of a vacancy. Obviously it still needs to be voted on in the Senate and signed (or not) by the governor.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 12:52 pm
Chicago cynic: Well said. I stand corrected.
Comment by walkinfool Thursday, Nov 10, 11 @ 2:00 pm