Gov. Quinn to "fumigate state government."

[monmouth]

Ill.'s new gov: We'll `fumigate state government'
Published: 1/30/09, 2:25 PM EDT
By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn moved quickly Friday to put Rod Blagojevich's scandal-ridden tenure behind him, signing his first executive order and saying he wants to "fumigate state government."

Quinn's order officially put the Illinois Reform Commission under the office of the governor. He had created the commission when he was still lieutenant governor, after Blagojevich's arrest last month on federal corruption charges.

The 60-year-old Quinn was elevated to Illinois' chief executive on Thursday when the state Senate voted 59-0 to convict Blagojevich of abuse of power, automatically ousting him. He became the first U.S. governor in more than 20 years to be removed by impeachment.

"We've had a body blow to our politics and government in the last seven weeks and two days but that's over," Quinn said at a news conference. "Today is a beginning, a start. ... We're going to start to fumigate state government from top to bottom to make sure it has no corruption."

[valerief]

1. Fumigate? Good lord, are they all drama queens? nt

[John Q. Citizen]

2. It's the war on bugs.

[Venceremos]

5. Not a drama queen

Quinn's use of the word fumigate is mild when you consider that Blagojevich is the sixth Illinois governor to be arrested or indicted, and the last two crooked governors were back to back. At least 79 current or former elected officials had been found guilty of a crime by judges, juries or their own pleas since 1972. We've had two statewide elected officials literally caught with shoe boxes full of stolen government money. There's more, but I'll stop now so that Illinois voters don't look stupid.

[ananda]

3. Now..

.. if he could only fumigate Washington,
starting with lobbyists and obstructionist
Reeps.

[provis99]

4. is Quinn any better?

or is he next in line as governor-to-be-indicted?

[JoDog]

6. I'm all for reform, but

could we get the state budget handled first? The state has not paid billions of dollars worth of bills to service providers, including hospitals, nursing homes and clinics.

[Venceremos]

7. In a news conference last night

Quinn said his first priority is the budget. However, he said it's going to take a month or two just to get a handle on it because they're unsure how bad a mess Blagojevich left.

[TheMightyFavog]

8. I don't think a simple fumigation will warrant.

Gotta nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.