Illinois Tollway to lose Blagojevich signage - new Governor

Illinois' Lt Gov Pat Quinn says one of his first moves when he replaces impeached Gov Rod Blagojevich will be to get the Illinois Tollway to take down its signs bignoting the disgraced governor (see example nearby).

Quinn is quoted by the Chicago Tribune as saying the Blagojevich signs on the Tollway are a symbol of pompous and imperial government.

"The signs will go down, and we'll probably have a ceremony to do it," Quinn told the Tribune.

"I might even ask some toll payers to help us out."

Quinn said that Republican George Ryan (serving a prison term for corruption) had begun the imperial style and Blagojevich, a Democrat, arrested last month by the feds on corruption charges, had continued it.

Tollway board?

It is unclear whether Quinn will push out Illinois Tollway board members who collaborated with Blagojevich.

The Tollway is supposedly an independent state agency that is controlled by a board of directors, but it has behaved like a pawn of the Blagojevich during his term in office, accepting "directions" from him that are extra-legal under state law (see website reference nearby).

One of the profanity-ridden FBI conversations in the Governor's office detailed in his arrest papers was Blagojevich discussing with aides the shakedown of a construction contractor based on the Goernor's ability to cotnrol Tollway contracts. The $1.8 billion project he mentioned in the shakedown discussions was the very project which a Tollway website item (see nearby) says was "directed" by Blagojevich.

Following this week's impeachment hearing the vote in the Illinois Senate to take down the 'f---ing' Blagojevich could come as early as tomorrow.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-01-28