Well the good thing is if Blago looses his job and Quinn takes over the first thing hes going to do is change this...


By Pete Nickeas, Springfield Bureau, [email protected]
More photos from this shoot Photo: Robert Leistra Lt. Governor Pat Quinn SPRINGFIELD -- Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn’s isn’t governor yet but he is already taking on some of the responsibilities of the office.
With Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment trial beginning Monday, no one knows for sure who will be governor in coming weeks-- Quinn or Blagojevich.
But already Quinn is the go-to guy for some gubernatorial matters. For example, Quinn’s office has been working with the federal government to undo a legislative blunder that could cost the state $24 million.
Federal officials appear to be dealing with Quinn with the presumption that he will soon be governor.
Marc Miller, a senior policy advisor for the lieutenant governor, has been in contact with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to keep Illinois’ Department of Natural Resources eligible for federal money, according to Jason Holm, a spokesman for the federal agency.
"Miller asked good questions. He asked about time frames, what needs to be done, what to do to avoid the diversion of money, actions the state needs to take, and whether the decision or deadline can be delayed," Holm said.
A spokesman for the governor’s office pointed out that the DNR is under Blagojevich’s control – not Quinn’s-- and interaction with the Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the federal money in question is supposed to be handled by the Blagojevich administration.
"It has not been assigned to the lieutenant governor’s office. If they’re calling as an interested party that’s one thing but officially, the governor oversees the DNR," said Lucio Guerrero, the governor’s spokesman.
Guerrero said that Fish and Wildlife may be assuming Quinn will be the next governor and for that reason is working with Quinn’s office.
"We’re willing to talk to any state officials that contact us about any of the issues that relate to the programs we operate under," said John Christian, an assistant regional director at the Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Fish and Wildlife Service sent a letter to Blagojevich’s office on Dec.19 and gave Illinois until Feb. 2 to transfer more than $9 million back into dedicated wildlife funds. Last year the legislature "swept" the restricted money out of state funds and later used it to pay for shortfalls elsewhere in the budget.
If the money isn’t paid back, with interest, Illinois could lose eligibility for future federal money. That leaves up to $24 million of federal wildlife money in limbo.
Miller said he first contacted the Fish and Wildlife Service last October and has been working with them since on various issues.
After meeting with the acting director and assistant director of the Fish and Wildlife Service while in Washington, D.C. for inauguration festivities, Miller sent a letter Thursday formally requesting a 90-day deadline extension.
"The Fish and Wildlife Service will take a position on the extension request and they’re not sure they’re going to grant it. It’s in their court," Miller said.
Lawmakers approved a bill last week that would keep the state eligible for the federal money, but the governor hasn’t indicated whether he would sign the legislation by the deadline.
The Senate has 30 days -- until Feb. 12 -- to physically transfer the bill to the governor’s office. Blagojevich may not be governor then. The last scheduled day for the impeachment trial is Feb. 5.
A deadline extension from Fish and Wildlife could allow Senate President John Cullerton -- who ultimately decides when to transfer the legislative paperwork to the governor’s office -- to wait until after the trial.
Quinn spokeswoman Libby White said it would be presumptuous to say whether Quinn would sign the bill if he becomes governor.
Mike Lawrence, former director of the Paul Simon Institute for Public Policy at Southern Illinois University, said he isn’t surprised by Quinn’s actions.
"There is an imminent deadline here and it appears as if he’s hoping the federal government will recognize that he soon will be governor of the state. I think this is a sign that he’s preparing to become governor and that he hopes the outside world will delay decisions and actions until he becomes chief executive," said Lawrence, who was also a senior advisor to Gov. Jim Edgar.
Miller said the state’s unique situation dictated Quinn’s course of action.
"There’s a strong interest in natural resources and conservation in our office and we do a lot of work. We are concerned about these funds affecting work we do with rivers and water quality," Miller said.