Posted on 03/31/2009 10:33:28 PM PDT by Impy
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Governor Pat Quinn is promising to go through the state budget line by line to look for waste and inefficiency. Some lawmakers say all he needs to do is take the elevator one flight down to find a waste of taxpayer's money. Dane Placko reports on the debate over what to do with the lieutenant governor's office.
I never got why Treasurer and Comptroller were separate offices. Florida combined the 2 into State CFO.
“The Illinois Secretary of State is already an enormously powerful official, since he’s also in charge of transportation and the dept. of motor vehicles, the state librarian, state historian, “keeper of the great seal of Illinois” etc. I wouldn’t want to make the guy Lt. Governor as well.”
That’s a good point. Those powers really shouldn’t be vested in someone not directly elected.
But the LT needs to have some purpose other than just to succeed the Governor.
And I’m mystified why the constitution was written to prohibit filling a vacancy. I always thought it was just an oversight. I guess it’s to prevent someone who was not elected possibly being Governor (ala Jerry Ford).
Dave O’Neal if he was a conservative was the last one in the Lieutenant Governor’s office. Followed by G. Ryan, Kustra, Corrine Wood, and Quinn.
The website of the Wisconsin University Alumni Association states that one of their members is: “The Honorable E. Neal Finkelman, B.A. 1955, Lieutenant Governor (R) IL ‘98-’99”
That’s bizzare. Finkelman wrote that message himself it looks like. Obviously he was kidding or is mentally ill.
http://www.uwalumni.com/home/alumniandfriends/whateverybadgermustdo/40s50slists.aspx
All joking aside, because I thought you were pulling my leg, Phil, there WAS no Lieutenant Governor following the resignation of Bob Kustra in 1998, nor an “acting” one or anything else. As per the state constitution, the office becomes vacant until the next election upon the death or resignation of its occupant, period. I thought you were pulling my leg. I saw that reference on the website:
“Back when I was an undergraduate, in the days of Alan “The Horse” Ameche, known as the most proficient running back in college football, and winner of the Heisman Trophy - an outstanding classmate athlete that helped march our Badgers to a 1954 Rose Bowl Big Ten Championship Game - there was a popular myth that we learned as freshmen about Abe Lincoln’s Statue sitting in front of Bascom Hall.
It was reputed that if we walked our date in front of him, he would stand up and gently bow, if she was a virgin - a perhaps obsolete custom of the day.
I have remained single all these years, as has Abe remained seated, for somehow my fortunes never produced an encounter that measured up to my girlfriend’s prerequisites then, nor since - not that I wouldn’t consent even yet, as I approach my 74th birthday August 30th as a Virgo - nor that I considered Virginity as a condition for Matrimony, even though.
But I thought it wouldn’t hurt to remind students again of that quaint old custom and keep alive a tradition that can be interpreted to our own purposes, and that of our ladies.
As a side note let me remind you that in front of the Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, a sister-state, is another statue of The Great Plainsman, standing tall for all the world to see. What would that mean, if anything...and he hasn’t sat down since it was dedicated.
The Honorable E. Neal Finkelman, B.A. 1955, Lieutenant Governor (R) IL ‘98-’99”
http://www.uwalumni.com/home/alumniandfriends/whateverybadgermustdo/40s50slists.aspx
Clearly this guy must be a senile loon trying to pass himself off as having held the office when he clearly has not. The WU Alumni Association should be informed he is a fraud.
I did some digging and found a second reference where this guy claims he held the office:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14
The Republican field seemed to shrink to seven over the past couple of days. However, three other candidates have or are trying to join the Republican primary. Ezra Neal Finkleman who says he was the Lieutenant Governor from June 30th, 1998 to January 11th 1999 is seeking the nomination. His credentials include being a contender for Vice President in 2000, and being appointed Warren Township Committeeman for the Lakehurst Precinct. He dismissed the current batch of candidates by saying the Republicans were, “renegades or mavericks” and the Democrats he characterized by saying, “the best of them, are a degenerate brand of Communists.”
http://www.ilsenate.com/archives.asp
“and the Democrats he characterized by saying, “the best of them, are a degenerate brand of Communists.””
Well he’s not some lucidity. LOL
This is priceless. Just like Emperor Norton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Norton
I worked for John Cox’s U.S. Senate campaign, May 2001-Mar. ‘02. Cox’s campaign got a donation from E. Neal Finkelman, and Finkelman included a letter that said that he was the lt. gov. July 1998-Jan. ‘99. I found a few websites that agree with him, but I read, in the state constitution, that, if the office became vacant, it will remain vacant until the next election.
What a loon. He probably had business cards made out and everything to use as “evidence” that he was the Lt. Gov for 6 months.
You’re correct, it couldn’t be clearer that a Governor can’t name a new Lt. Gov. when the office becomes vacant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lieutenant_Governor_of_Illinois
Yeah, not completely crazy.
And I’ve been keeping meticulous records of statewide and federal officeholders now for more than a decade. If he had been appointed by then-Gov. Jim Edgar, I’d have known about it. Politics1 was also getting started up about that time and it would’ve listed his name as well. Of course, it is somewhat ingenuous to make such a claim. Who, aside from us political junkies, would even think to check someone claiming they held a downballot office ? Most folks wouldn’t know he was a fraud. When Phil brought it up yesterday, I thought he was pulling an April Fool’s prank on me.
“. Of course, it is somewhat ingenuous to make such a claim. Who, aside from us political junkies, would even think to check someone claiming they held a downballot office ? Most folks wouldn’t know he was a fraud.”
Indeed. What a riot!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lieutenant_Governors_of_Illinois
Now, there's a clear way to determine whether Finkelman's claims are valid. As long as Pat Quinn is going to waste taxpayer's money keeping the Lt. Governor's office open, call them up in Chicago or Springfield and politely request paper records (by fax or mail) of every occupant discharging the duties of the office since 1818, along with any state records of a "E. Neal Finkelman" ever serving or working in the office of Lt. Governor, especially during the period from July 2, 1998 to January 10, 1999. Specificially, if he was ever on the state payroll and what kind of "duties" he was responsible for, if any, in the Lt. Governor's office. (Tell them it's a grave matter and you need to determine whether or not Mr. Finkelman's resume is fraudulent). Let's make them earn their paychecks over at the vacant Lt. Governor's office. Illinois taxdollars at work!
OFFICE OF THE LT. GOVERNOR
JRTC, 100 W. RANDOLPH
SUITE 15−200
CHICAGO, IL 60601−3220
Phone:(312) 814−5220
Fax: (312) 814-4862
OFFICE OF THE LT. GOVERNOR
ROOM 214, STATE HOUSE
SPRINGFIELD, IL 62706−4700
Phone: (217)782-7884
Fax: (217) 524-6262
Well you, Phil and Impy are local, so I suspect you guys would get a more timely response than an out-of-stater such as moi.
The Lt. Governor post could be made more than ceremonial by simply giving it similar clout to what the Vice Presidency has evolved into, and writing something along those lines into the state constitution:
The Lt. Governor shall be President of the Illinois Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. During a joint session of the Illinois General Assembly, the Lt. Governor shall be presiding officer and rule on all matters of parliamentary procedure, and shall serve as judge during the impeachment trial of Illinois officials, except those in the executive branch of government.
In cases of the Governor's death, resignation, or removal from office, the Lt. Governor shall become Governor. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the Governor, the Governor-elect shall have died, the Lt. Governor-elect shall become Governor. If a Governor shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the Governor elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Lt. Governor-elect shall act as Governor until a Governor shall have qualified; and the legislature may by law provide for the case wherein neither a Governor elect nor a Lt. Governor elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as Governor, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a Governor or Lt. Governor shall have qualified.
In cases the Governor is impeached, incapacitated, or unable to discharge the duties of his office, the Lt. Governor shall become acting Governor until such time the Governor is able to resume his duties. Cases of disability shall be determined solely by the legislature, or by written notification of the Governor. The Lt. Governor shall automatically become Governor if the Governor is unable to resume his duties within 60 days.
The legislature may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a Governor whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Lt. Governor whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.
The Governor and the Lt. Governor shall be required to meet weekly to discuss the affairs of state, and the Lt. Governor shall be responsible for ensuring the Governor's initiatives are carried out by state officials, according to law.
Of course even weaker than the Lt. Governor post is the “Deputy Mayor of Chicago” (or perhaps it's “Vice Mayor”, I'm not sure). Yes, Chicago does have one but nobody even realizes it. In theory, the Deputy Mayor is supposed to take over the Mayor's job in the event he kicks the bucket, but in practice this never happens because the city council names their own “official” replacement mayor quickly. The last time was when Mayor Harold Washington died in 1987, and “Deputy Mayor” David Orr was “acting mayor” for a week (his lone act as mayor was to preside over a city council event that paid tribute to the late Mayor Washington), and by that the time city council decided the dead black mayor MUST be replaced with another black guy, and picked moderate black Eugene Sawyer as a compromise candidate the white alderman could live with. Orr (now Cook County Clerk) does get to have his portrait on the “wall of mayors” collage in Daley's office, for being mayor for a week, though.
I had to google it to determine who the heck is the current Deputy/Vice/Whatever Mayor of Chicago, and it looks like Alderman Bernie Stone has the “office”. Basically a nice honorary title with absolutely no duties or responsibilities, even if the mayor dropped dead.
“I had to google it to determine who the heck is the current Deputy/Vice/Whatever Mayor of Chicago, and it looks like Alderman Bernie Stone has the “office”.”
Interesting I never heard of that, Stone’s Wikipedia article says it’s “Vice”.
It seems the position was created in response to Wilson Frost
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Frost
a black Alderman who was President Pro Tem of the Council when Daley I died and claimed he was acting mayor according to the charter, the council disagreed and voted in Mike Bilandic (who’s last political act was being the tie breaking rat vote in 2002 legislative redistricting because Jesse White pulled his name out of stovepipe hat, he died shortly after that).
Stone was briefly a Republican/Rino. Ran against Carol Mosley-Fraud for recorder of deeds in 1988. Wikipedia alleges his campaign was racist as he begged the papers to show to her picture (oh look she’s black).
He later joined every other Alderman except for Brian Doherty (R) in voting to urge slavery reparations.
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