Apr 18, 2008 7:13 pm US/Central
Lt. Gov. Trying To Keep Recall Amendment Alive
Quinn And Rep. Franks Call On Voters To Urge Their Lawmakers To Vote On Issue
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Rep. Jack Franks (left) and Lt. Gov Pat Quinn (right) are working to revive the stalled recall amendment.
CBS
A bill that would give voters the right to recall the governor is stalled in the senate, but the governor's own lieutenant is joining the fight to revive the bill.
As CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports, a defiant Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn was joined by State Rep. Jack Franks in a news conference Friday, both men vowing to continue the fight to put a bill supporting the recall amendment on the November ballot.
on the efforts to put the recall bill back on the front burner.
Franks, who sponsored the measure, makes no secret of his desire to use the bill to unseat the governor.
"Honestly I filed it because of the dismal performance of our present governor," Franks said.
Quinn and Franks are trying to revive the bill after it was stalled in the senate's executive committee on Wednesday during a heated two-hour debate in which opponents of the bill said it unfairly singled out state lawmakers.
In the end, the bill was never called for a vote.
"For the senators to deny the people is really an insult to the voters of Illinois," Quinn said.
Supporters of the bill also point to two polls, conducted statewide, that say a majority of voters -- 65 to 70 percent -- support a recall of elected officials.
"Politicians don't get a free ride for their term and they will feel responsible to the voters that elected them," said Illinois voter Sergio Arlandiz.
Despite the voters' support, Franks says it's unlikely the bill will get through the senate's committee, so he's asking the public for help.
"We want people to call their senators and say have the vote called, that's how it gets done," Franks said.
But in order for the recall amendment to be called by the full senate, 36 out of the 59 senators must support the motion.
Both Franks and Quinn plan to make another push at the end of the month.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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