Illinois governor Pat Quinn said Monday that the verdict issued in the case of ex-governor Rod Blagojevich represents a “serious day” for the state of Illinois.
“I got sworn in on Jan. 29, 2009, and that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do every day I’ve been in office. This is my mission, to reform our government, so we do not have governors going to jail,” Mr. Quinn said. “We need to have an ethics initiative to make sure that the people are consulted with respect to honesty in government and ethics and integrity in government.”
“Today’s conviction only strengthens my resolve to push this effort forward,” Mr. Quinn added.
The Illinois Democrat, who became governor after Mr. Blagojevich was impeached by the Illinois Assembly, said the state has made great strides in ethics reforms, adding that he does not expect additional revelations related to corruption in Illinois politics. That said, Mr. Quinn said the Blagojevich verdict represented the final act in the saga over the ex-governor’s two-year case. Mr. Quinn, asked if he owed Illinois voters an explanation after defending Mr. Blagojevich in the days leading up to the indictment, said Monday that he was “deceived and misled” but prefers to look to the future instead of the past.
“I think Rod Blagojevich deceived and misled lots and lots of people in Illinois, the voters included,” Quinn said. “I think he deceived everyone. He didn’t follow what he was saying in public (with) what he did in private,” Mr. Quinn said.
Mr. Blagojevich was convicted of 17 counts Monday, one of which included an attempt to sell President Obama’s U.S. Senate seat. Mr. Blagojevich continues to deny any wrongdoing, telling reporters that he is “stunned” by the verdict.
“I frankly am stunned,” Mr. Blagojevich said after the verdict. “There’s not more to say other than we want to get home to our little girls and talk to them and explain things to them and try to sort things out.”
