Gotta give Pat Quinn credit for having a sense of humor.
Gov. Pat Quinn says he will sign into law the state’s first-ever limits on campaign contributions on Wednesday — exactly one year after his predecessor and onetime ally Rod Blagojevich was roused from bed and arrested on federal corruption charges.
Quinn acknowledged today that the campaign reform measure is “not perfect,” but said it’s a crucial first step.
“It’s substantial progress and I think it’ll make a great difference in making elections more competitive in Illinois and more open,” Quinn said this afternoon following an appearance before the Tribune’s editorial board.
The law would for the first time set limits on how much donors can give to political campaigns, though powerful legislative bosses get a pass on some restrictions. The law won’t impact next year’s elections since the money restrictions don’t go into effect until 2011.
Quinn’s signature would mark the end of a nearly year-long battle following Blagojevich’s arrest to limit the amount of money that flows into elections. Quinn vetoed an earlier version of the bill this summer after public push-back from reform groups, who have signed on in support of the latest measure in an effort to put some form of limits on the books.
Quinn said he decided to sign the bill on the anniversary of Blagojevich’s arrest to encourage citizens to look back on the past year and the changes that have been implemented since Blagojevich’s ouster.
Irony, thy name is Blagojevich.