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Words vs. Reality

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Illinois

* I’m not really sure that anyone cares all that much about this except a handful of Springfield residents, but this is from the Illinois Republican Party…

Hopefully Quinn lied about keeping his underwear in Springfield

Today, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady issued the following statement:

“In 2010, Governor Pat Quinn said: ‘My clothes are at the governor’s mansion in Springfield - even my underwear is there. I think that establishes residency, doesn’t it?’

“In 2011, Quinn stayed only 40 nights in Springfield.

“For the sake of everyone working in his Chicago office, I really hope the Governor was lying about where he kept his underwear.”

Funny stuff.

* This is based on a WCIA report…

Gov. Pat Quinn spent 68 days in Springfield between March 2011 and March 2012, according to an analysis of his personal schedule by WCIA 3.

Of that time, Quinn only spent 40 nights in the capitol city, according to the schedule, and it’s assumed all of those nights were spent in the Illinois Executive Mansion,.

When Quinn took office in 2009, he told he reporters he was moving in to the mansion. His predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, was criticized for not spending enough time in the executive mansion, which costs Illinois taxpayers about $500,000 to operate each year.

* More…

Former governor Jim Edgar, who lived full time in the mansion, told WCIA that he thinks Quinn spends more time in Springfield than Blagojevich did, but that it’s important the governor spend time in the mansion.

“It might be not the same level as the White House,” Edgar said, “but it’s our equivalent here in Illinois.”

Two things about Edgar’s comments.

1) Yes, Edgar lived in the mansion for a while, but then he moved out to a log home in the country.

2) The mansion is nowhere near the equivalent of the White House. It’s been over 30 years since a governor lived there full time for an entire term.

* That being said, the governor has, indeed, repeatedly claimed that he lives in the mansion. It’s not true now and it never has been true.

I’ve never fully understood why Quinn would make that claim when the evidence obviously shows he’s not telling the truth. Yeah, it probably had some political benefit during the 2010 campaign, but that benefit is wiped out when the data shows his statements to be utterly false.

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 14, 12 @ 1:43 pm

Comments

Perhaps Pat means home is where the V-8 is…

Comment by OneMan Monday, May 14, 12 @ 1:57 pm
We hope everyone remembers BLinky Jim lived at the mansion because he SOLD his Springfield house after being elected governor…Later he bought the log home so his state troopers would have somewhere to mow the grass because that’s what state troopers like to do.
George kept the house in Ktown, Thompson had the townhouse in Chicago.
Worry about where the GOvernor lives is about charting state plane use…it wins and award every five years.
As to why PQ said it…..that could a question asked every day.
Meanwhile speaking of laundry matters; hats off to Gags for another stunning PR coup. It makes us completely forget about the Griffin/Citadel Laundry Campaish Cash Laundrying Scandal and how all these downstate GOPie chairs can be counted on to go mute with the G knocks on the door.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Monday, May 14, 12 @ 1:57 pm
If you count the days Rod has been a “guest” of the Federal Government, I think he passed the number of days he stayed at the Mansion.

I am pretty sure George has passed his days in the Mansion as opposed to his days as a “guest” of the Feds too.

Illinois - Our Governor’s don’t awlays choose free housing, but when they do, they prefer federal housing.

Anyone check travel vouchers on Quinn … he flying as much as Rod? Just asking, I dunno!

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:04 pm
Pat Brady, the best State GOP chairman the Democrats ever had.

Comment by just sayin' Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:04 pm
Quinn is just channelling his inner George Costanza: it’s not a lie if you believe it.

Of course, 40 nights a year in Springfield feels like a year so I can see where he’s coming from.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:07 pm
Meh, 40 nights in a year works for me. Does he ‘live’ there? No, but he appears not to carry the disrepect for the old place to the point Rod did. Being the governor does not work in Springfield 24/7, it’d be pretty silly to expect him to sleep there every night.

Comment by Cindy Lou Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:10 pm
Mothball the mansion. Budget $50K for maintenance, and spend the other $450K on, oh, I dunno……….Medicaid.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:14 pm
I’ve never quite understood why most Governors tend to shun the mansion. Admittedly, I haven’t been inside since the early ’80’s but it’s a beautiful residence and grounds. Perhaps one of the staffers can explain???

Comment by Stones Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:18 pm
“In 2011, Quinn stayed only 40 nights in Springfield.”

How’s that state plane doing? Yes, that same plane we browbeat Blago for using. Is Quinn using it more or less than Blago?

Just curious.

Comment by Ratman Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:29 pm
Quinn’s come a long way from his populace gadfly days; maybe in not such a good way.

Comment by sal-says Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:30 pm
===Yes, that same plane we browbeat Blago for using.===

We browbeat him for routinely flying in and back on the same day.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:37 pm
=I’ve never quite understood why most Governors tend to shun the mansion. Admittedly, I haven’t been inside since the early ’80’s but it’s a beautiful residence and grounds. Perhaps one of the staffers can explain??? =

The problem with the mansion is that it’s a museum, not a residence. While the Mansion is, I believe, the largest in the nation, the Governor’s living quarters are confined to a modest 2,000 square feet. It’s a historic building so renovations, modernizations & personalizations are very difficult to pull off.

Not only is this “home” filled with tons of artifacts, it hosts like 200 events per year…..not exact the most private or domestic place to live.

Comment by TCB Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:39 pm
Let’s get real here…..the state is run from Chicago & has been for some time. Had he spent the majority of his time in Springfield, he wouldn’t have been as in touch with the affairs of the state. I’m from Springfield & I wish more of the high level business was done in the capital city, but it’s just not the case these days.

Comment by TCB Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:44 pm
They could let legislators stay there during session so we wouldn’t have to pay them per diem. Not sure how many it could handle though.

Comment by Bonsaso Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:51 pm
Why is this a story? Last I checked his title is: Governor of Illinois. Where in that title does it mention Springfield (and I am from there before you rail on me) or Governor of the Executive Mansion? There are any number of other things to focus on. There is no reason for this to keep coming up. Get over it people!

Comment by Who Cares Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:51 pm
Rich: My post is directed at the angry people you referenced in your first paragraph of this post, not you. Just making sure I clarify that.

Comment by Who Cares Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:54 pm
I hear the folks in Vandalia and Kaskaskia are honked that governors don’t spend nights in the REAL state capitals.

No one cares about this stuff but the rubes. It’s embarrassing to even have this conversation in 2012.

The same was true when people knocked Reagan for being in California or Bush in Texas. Communications are pretty nifty these days. You can do your job from anywhere.

Pat Brady, as always, goes straight to the heart of what matters (psst, Madigan deep-cover mole; that explains it all).

They should tear the mansion down. It’s a ridiculous, run-down, expensive, royal-like anachronism. We want governors who work, not hold down chairs in fixer-uppers.

The state’s Bicentennial is coming up. It would be a perfect location for a Bicentennial Park, a la Nashville. Very impressive. Check it out when you get a chance.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:56 pm
Pat Quinn — Illinois’ Commando in Chief

Comment by who cares? Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:57 pm
Word, don’t forget DuQuoin or the good people of Perry County will be all over you. They have a governor’s mansion there too.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:01 pm
==They could let legislators stay there during session so we wouldn’t have to pay them per diem. Not sure how many it could handle though. ==

Better yet, beginning May 1, the four tops have to live in the exec mansion with the Gov. and they all have a 6:00 pm curfew with dinner together at 7:00 sharp. That might be a huge step towards wrapping things up early.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:01 pm
===That might be a huge step towards wrapping things up early.===

And a totally AWESOME new reality show.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:06 pm
The story isn’t that he didn’t move there. The story is that he said he would and stays there more than he does. ” Quinn would make that claim when the evidence obviously shows he’s not telling the truth.”
Couple that with him signing agreements to work with the unions and cut employee costs and then even after the employees did their part and came up with the savings he reneged.

It shows a pattern.

Comment by Irish Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:12 pm
==No one cares about this stuff but the rubes.==

Word, Please let me know who you work for and if they are hiring. My employer, as to most, require their employees to show up for work. Yes, you can do a lot via fax and email these days, but if you want to get things done, you have to be where the work is being done and be available to meet with people to work things out.

I understand a lot of work is done in Chicago these days, but if you want a statewide solution the Governor and ALL the legislative leaders need to get back to Springfield. If the Governor were in Springfield working the statehouse on a day to day basis he might get things done. You can’t be a leader from the couch.

Comment by the Patriot Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:13 pm
Close the mansion down and give the guv the same per diem state employees get when on the road.

Comment by wishbone Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:17 pm
Sorry, “and says that he stays there more than he does.”

Comment by Irish Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:21 pm
1. Pat Brady is incompetent
2. No one cares about where the Governor lives
3. No one in chicagoland knows we even have a Governors mansion or cares about what it is used for.
4. Most people in chicagoland have never been to springfield and don’t even know how to get there.

Comment by Shore Monday, May 14, 12 @ 3:36 pm
- just sayin’ - Monday, May 14, 12 @ 2:04 pm:

Pat Brady, the best State GOP chairman the Democrats ever had.

Pat Quin, the best Governor the republicans ever had…ooops, correction that would be Blago….they are both democrats, correct “just saying”?

Comment by Holdingontomywallet Monday, May 14, 12 @ 4:28 pm
Pat Brady has spent very little time working as the GOP Chairman. Maybe less time than Quinn spent in Springfield. Quinn is a product of the Democratic Machine. He is a phony reformer. Chicago is where the action is at. All he has to do is stay at home until the bosses want to trot him out and tell him what he did.

Comment by ANON Monday, May 14, 12 @ 4:34 pm
Perhaps there was a time when living in the mansion was important, and necessary. I don’t see any reason to live there other than it is here and can be used on occasion for state business.

As others have said, it doesn’t really matter where the Governor lives, just as long as he does his job and doesn’t live too high on the hog traveling.

The mansion should be rented out for as many events as possible, and put on the Springfield tour list.

Perhaps Cap Fax can rent an office there?

Comment by Sunshine Monday, May 14, 12 @ 4:46 pm
Rich:

Does Quinn ever have legislators over to the mansion for unofficial schmoozing, drinks on the veranda, that sort of thing? Not sure how much a little social lubrication helps when the problems are as big as this year’s. But couldn’t hurt.

Comment by Ivory-billed Woodpecker Monday, May 14, 12 @ 4:49 pm
Brady would’ve never lived in the mansion. His residence is about 75 minutes from the Capitol.

Don’t get me wrong - I do think it would be cool if the mansion were fully utilized and lived-in. It’s a gorgeous house and is a wonderful place for parties and fundraisers. But this is a large state - both population-wise and geographically - and it’s not practical to ask the governor be tied down to a residence even during session. Quinn still has events and meetings all over the state.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, May 14, 12 @ 4:49 pm
Who. Cares. (I mean, other than Quinn lied about it.)

Comment by Billy Dennis Monday, May 14, 12 @ 5:53 pm
Why not just turn the mansion into a prison?

Comment by Woody Monday, May 14, 12 @ 6:26 pm
The mansion is a very cool place- I was at an event there in January for the first time in many years. It is impressive and something for the people of Illinois to take pride in.

But really, Springfieldians- it’s not 1873. You can get to and from Springfield fairly easily nowadays. There’s no reason for someone to pretend he lives there when he doesn’t. Quinn was (I think) having a bit of a laugh- the underwear line was the giveaway.

I almost never agree with Quinn but I think everyone would agree he is a hardworking guy who is trying in his own way to accomplish things for the state. He is at JRTC all the time plugging away, and gets to Springfield when it is important. So who gives a bee’s behind where he spends his time?

Comment by DuPage Dave Monday, May 14, 12 @ 8:47 pm
Make one of those tough choices IL general assembly and close down the governors mansion until Illinois can afford (if ever) this waste of resources.

Comment by Soccertease Monday, May 14, 12 @ 10:32 pm
C’mon, GOP. I can’t believe this issue polls very well for you to bother bringing it up.

Comment by Just Me Monday, May 14, 12 @ 10:50 pm
I have been confused about the whole residency thing since Rahm Emanuel slipped back to Chicago.

Comment by Patrick McDonough Monday, May 14, 12 @ 11:32 pm
Thanks for calling him out on it Rich. The Governor should not lie.

Comment by Mark Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:20 am
Everyone is missing the point here… the capital of the state is Springfield, not Chicago. Our elected officials should live and work in the capital city. We provide the Governor with a residence (Exec Mansion) so he can live and work in Springfield. Yeah, he lied about living there, but that’s not the point. The business of the state should be conducted in the capital, not Chicago.

Comment by Regular guy... Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 4:36 pm