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Duckworth to be honored today

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Illinois

* Yet another landmine placed by former Gov. Pat Quinn…

*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***

Representative Duckworth, US Army Iraq Veteran To Receive the Abraham Lincoln Veteran Champion Award

Tammy Duckworth epitomizes the veteran who returns from military service and becomes a great asset to her fellow veterans, community, and country. She is an Iraq War Veteran, former IDVA Director, former Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and currently represents the Illinois 8th District in Congress. In 2004, Duckworth deployed to Iraq as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard and was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her helicopter was hit by hostile fire on Nov. 12, 2004, and Duckworth lost her legs and partial use of her right arm as result. She was awarded a Purple Heart for her combat injuries, and also earned the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Expert Marksmanship Badge (Pistol and Rifle Bars), and the Army Aviator Badge. She is active in her community, in volunteer service, and recently retired from the National Guard. She and her family reside in Hoffman Estates.

The Abraham Lincoln Veteran Champion Award (ALVCA) highlights and honors Illinois veterans whose contributions in service to the veteran community and their local communities are truly above and beyond. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of their leadership, dedication, innovation, and impact in serving these communities. ALVCA recipients are those whose efforts add to the powerful narrative that veterans are dedicated, lifelong public servants from whose efforts all of Illinois’ communities stand to benefit. In contributing to this narrative through their service to veteran and local communities, the ALVCA recipients not only impact the lives of those they serve, but also the overall advocacy effort for Illinois veterans. She was nominated in early 2014 by Theresa Mah, former advisor to then-Governor Pat Quinn, for the award.

IDVA Interim Director Harry F. Sawyer will present the award on behalf of Governor Bruce Rauner, which includes a framed proclamation as well as a State Flag.

Um, huh?

Duckworth has been mentioned repeatedly as a possible Democratic opponent for US Sen. Mark Kirk, who probably won’t be happy about this.

But since it was already a done deal, the Rauner folks couldn’t stop it without looking like jerks, so they went ahead.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:37 am

Comments

In all my years of following politics, I have never seen anything like this: that a departing executive (president, governor, whatever) leaves behind so much baggage for his successor. Unreal.

Comment by State employee Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:46 am
Oh for heaven’s sake. If Governor Quinn had put the same level of focus, effort and determination into running this state that he has in tweaking Bruce Rauner, he would still be governor.

Comment by geez Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:50 am
A few million promised from the slush fund may smooth things over with his political benefactor.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:54 am
Despite those awful head to head numbers a while back, I’m not convinced that Quinn is gonna sit that 2016 Senate race out himself.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:19 am
She was nominated in “early 2014.” She certainly meets the criteria.

Kirk would have an awfully thin skin to be upset.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:33 am
The Scott Stantis cartoon in the Tribune pegged this right. Quinn left Rauner a room full of loaded mousetraps.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:48 am
If Pat Quinn placed this “landmine” in “early 2014″, we all misunderestimated him.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:48 am
===If Pat Quinn placed this “landmine” in “early 2014″, we all misunderestimated him.===

He never signed the paperwork.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:02 am
Awfully hard to see how this qualifies as a “land mine left behind” for Rauner. She was nominated a year ago when Quinn and his people certainly believed he would be re-elected. And it’s hard to imagine many more Illinois veterans more deserving of this particular award.

Comment by Pilot Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:12 am
@Geez:

Bruce has only been on the job for 3 days. And with all the companies he bankrupted I hardly think he’s an example of business smarts.

Comment by Del Clinkton Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:30 am
Oh stop seeing the worst in everything. She deserves this recognition and the process started months ago

Comment by walker Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:35 am
How long will it take for Bruce to tout this as an example of his bipartisanship?

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:37 pm
I think Precinct Captain just won.

Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:49 pm
Leave this one alone, people. Please. Tammy Duckworth deserves this award on its merits. It’s not a political move. She’s paid a heavy price for serving her country. With the extent of her injuries it’s a wonder she survived.

Comment by DuPage Dave Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:24 pm
This is an easy one for Bruce, and it looks like he’s fielding it well.

Yes, it’s fair to attribute this to Quinn knife twisting, but it’s a no brainer–Tammy has paid a huge and horrific price to serve her country.

Give her the award now, no big fuss, and it will be forgotten and not an issue in the 2016 campaign.

Comment by Buck I Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 7:37 am