Quinn Dares Lawmakers To Override Veto Denying Their Pay
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Governor Pat Quinn today literally dared state lawmakers to override his veto which cuts off funding for their paychecks.
The Governor said there was no reason for lawmakers to go to court to reverse him. They could do it themselves.
After filing the lawsuit yesterday, with the judge setting November 27 for an initial hearing, no one has done anything to speed things up.
"This is what happens when you put three Chicago politicians in charge of something," said Bill Brady.
Brady, one of the Republicans running for governor, is just one of those who'll suffer a payless payday tomorrow. The first time lawmakers being paid an average of nearly $68,000 a year will not be getting their monthly checks.
"The legislature has the opportunity if they don't agree with me to go down to Springfield and take a vote to override what I did and tell the people they think their pay is more important than pension reform," said Quinn.
That may be why House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton decided to go to let a judge decide, rather than doing it themselves, though they seem in no hurry to make their case.
A court spokesman tells CBS 2 that while a hearing was automatically set for November 27, they could ask for an earlier date. But so far, no one's filed anything. In the meantime, the pension reform conference committee continues its work, and the governor continues to stand his ground.
"The idea of focusing on a lawsuit about their pay rather than focusing on pension reform it's an emergency, I think legislature's on the wrong track," said Quinn.
