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May 1, 2008 1:30 pm US/Central
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Recall Amendment Fails In Senate
(AP)
A move to let Illinois voters recall unpopular officials has failed in the state Senate.
A constitutional amendment that would have allowed voter recall got only 33 of the 36 votes needed to pass in an afternoon vote. Nineteen senators voted "no" and two voted "present."
The recall drive has been fueled by frustration over Governor Rod Blagojevich, whose administration is under federal investigation.
But the recall amendment went far beyond recalling state officials. It also would have covered judges and local officials.
If legislators had approved the amendment, it would have been placed on the fall ballot so voters could decide whether to give it final approval.
The Senate quickly adjourned after the afternoon vote, rebuffing
Republican attempts to revive another recall plan that Senate President
Emil Jones (D-Chicago) had bottled up.
Sunday is the deadline
for both legislative chambers to approve a recall amendment that would
go to voters in November for their approval. With the Senate headed out
of town, that possibility has been eliminated.
During floor
debate, Jones railed against the idea of recalling elected officials
and ridiculed its main backers, including Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn and Rep.
Jack Franks (D-Woodstock).
Jones said the legislature
should be focused on enacting Blagojevich's plans to expand health care
and pumping more money into schools rather than taking punitive action
against one man -- presumably Blagojevich, though Jones did not cite
the governor by name.
"No piece of legislation should ever be
aimed at any individual. It's wrong," thundered Jones, the governor's
chief legislative ally.
STNG Wire contributed to this report
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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