Posted by chicagomedia.org on March 25, 2009 at 14:32:16:
In Reply to: Radio host Blagojevich takes jab at Quinn posted by chicagomedia.org on March 25, 2009 at 10:11:27:
Dueling governors on Chicago radio today
Posted by Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia at 9:40 a.m.
Gov. Pat Quinn and ousted predecessor Rod Blagojevich took shots at each other today during dueling appearances on Chicago radio stations.
Blagojevich started his appearance as guest host on WLS-AM by introducing himself as "G..., Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich."
As expected, the impeached Blagojevich railed against his successor's push for a state income tax increase, claiming it was the worst thing that could be done in a sour economy and an 8.6 percent unemployment rate. He contended that because Quinn, his running mate as lieutenant governor for 6 years, "wasn't elected by the people," the tax hike increase he is proposing is "taxation without representation."
Blagojevich--who was arrested Dec. 9 on a laundry list of federal corruption charges alleging he tried to sell his office for personal gain--also repeated his oft-stated claim that he was impeached because he stood in the way of a tax increase.
Quinn, who became governor upon Blagojevich's ouster, took questions from listeners on WGN-AM and defended his plan to raise the state income tax by 50 percent, saying it's the only option after years of mismanagement under Blagojevich and Republican Gov. George Ryan.
Quinn said he's open to re-working his numbers so the threshold for families that would see an increase is higher, and again lamented that he's yet to hear counter proposals from his criticis.
Blagojevich offered few alternatives to deal with the $11.6 billion deficit that he helped create--suggesting sweeping special state funds and selling the lottery, a move prohibited by the federal government.
Perhaps not surprising, his first caller said he didn't believe Blagojevich did anything wrong despite the former chief executive's Dec. 9 arrest on federal corruption charges. He's expected to be formally indicted next month.
Blagojevich also cited several state lawmakers for double-dipping on state and local payrolls
When asked if the studio headphones would mess up his famed hairstyle, Blagojevich said he brought his brush--dubbed "the football"--with him and since he's not governor, he's got no one to carry it for him. "It's a smaller brush," he said.
(Chicago Tribune)