Quinn Chides Senate For Not Acting On Appointments
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- Gov Pat Quinn said Wednesday that 38 people he appointed to state jobs would continue working, even though Senate President John Cullerton said they should lose their jobs because lawmakers never signed off.
Quinn shrugged off criticism that those state workers shouldn't be paid any more because the Illinois Senate didn't vote to confirm them and a new General Assembly can't vote on the appointments.
Quinn criticized the Senate for not taking an up-or-down vote on the nominees before the end of the last session, thus avoiding the problem. The nominees include Illinois State Police Director Jonathon Monken, who's never received a Senate hearing despite being appointed nearly two years ago.
"They've been sitting on this for a long time," Quinn said at a stop in Urbana. "I wish they did act on the appointees."
Senate President John Cullerton's top lawyer told the state comptroller last week the appointees - five of them with salaries topping $100,000 - should no longer be paid because they weren't confirmed and their original terms have expired.
Quinn said the employees will stay on the job at least until the Senate reconvenes next month, calling the dustup overblown.
He said he would be "looking at a lot of people in state government" in the next few weeks, but wouldn't say what he would do with the nominees.
Monken, who makes $132,600, was considered by some senators to be too inexperienced for the job of top cop, despite his background as a military police officer.
"He's a good man, he's a real leader," Quinn said. "I have a great deal of confidence in Jon Monken."
Cullerton's office said earlier Senate Democrats were concerned about the 31-year-old Monken's experience but wanted to give him a chance, offering "extended probation."
Sen. Antonio "Tony" Munoz, D-Chicago, the Executive Appointments Committee chairman, said Wednesday the committee agreed to let Monken stay on as long as he took classes. But Munoz didn't know whether Monken did.
As for the other appointees, Munoz said the committee disqualified many of them because of problems with the timing of their nominations, but he did not elaborate.
Eric Madiar, Cullerton's chief counsel, told state Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in a letter last week that there was no "legal authority" to continue paying those nominees.
Topinka's lawyers are reviewing the matter.
The state Constitution says gubernatorial appointees may serve 60 session days but doesn't mention changes in sessions of the Legislature. Monken - the longest-serving appointee - has held his post for 52 session days, but a Senate analysis also concludes his term expired Monday.
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