From: Sicuranza, Daniela
Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 3:27 PM
To:
Subject: Illinois Lt. Gov says Blagojevich should "step aside" (vs resign)
** THIS SOUND HAS NOT FED INTO DC OR NY YET **
LT GOV PAT QUINN HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.
HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNOR TO "STEP ASIDE" AS OPPOSSED TO RESIGNING. SAYS IF GOV RESISTS RESIGNATION - THEN HE SHOULD "STEP ASIDE"
EXCERPT
Q- most ppl reading this and would want this guy to resign, why don't YOU want him to resign?
Well, i think the gov should do what's appropriate for the public interest.
Q - what's that?
I think he should step aside.
Q - What does that mean? what's the difference?
Well, it can be resignation, he can do that, i think that's something that would advance the public interest if he did. But if he chooses not to and he wants to resist resignation, there is this alternate path provided by the constitution where he can step aside.
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VERBATIM OF PART OF PRESSER
q - gov said he'd been working for years, what about trust? how do you
Well i think the only way to do that is to be a public advocate ... that's what i believe in. the strongrest force in dem is citizens. Anyone looked at my life ... work hard as i can in my public life.
People obviously are concerned abotu the integrity of our government its very imp that we make sure that the gov't of illinois is honest and clean.
q - can state remove the gov?
The general assembly has power, the supreme court under constitution .... can intervene in this situation and then the gov himself can decide pursuant to the constitution whether he can seriously carry out his duties
Q - they don't say on their own, to judge the fitness of the gov, there has to be legal action right?
who initiates that?
Reading this, it appears that any citizen could file a petition to the Il supreme court.
Q - will you do that?
I don't know whether that's my role, but uh, i think we need to uh certainly pay attention to this rule if necessary.
Q- most ppl reading this and would want this guy to resign, why don't YOU want him to resign?
Well, i think the gov should do what's appropriate for the public interest.
Q - what's that?
I think he should step aside.
Q - What does that mean? what's the difference?
Well, it can be resignation, he can do that, i think that's something that would advance the public interest if he did. But if he chooses not to and he wants to resist resignation, there is this alternate path provided by the constitutions where he can step aside.
Q - why are you waffling
I'm not waffling at all. I lsitened carefully to US attorney, he said every person is entitled to their day in court. The US attorney said this. ANd you have to be very careful in our system of justice that everyone has a fair day in court to defend themselves. I"m a lawyer i'm an officer of the court, I truly believe in our system of justice.
