Quinn gets union backing; Brady blasts Democrat
Gov. Pat Quinn picked up a key teachers union endorsement Wednesday, while Republican Bill Brady again blasted Quinn for quietly granting early release to hundreds of inmates last year.
Quinn and his running mate, lieutenant governor candidate Sheila Simon, were endorsed by the Illinois Education Association, and the 133,000-member union promised significant resources for the ticket's November election bid.
IEA president Ken Swanson said Brady, a state senator from Bloomington, had not supported some education-related measures in the Legislature.
"There has never been a more clear choice for governor of Illinois," Swanson said outside an Evanston school, praising Quinn for proposing an income tax increase to help fund education.
Brady, who opposes raising the state income tax, called the IEA's endorsement of Quinn "disappointing."
"They want to continue the status quo. Gov. Quinn wants to raise tax rates on families and businesses," Brady said during a news conference at his Chicago campaign headquarters.
Brady took another swipe at Quinn. He called on him to sign legislation requiring the state to post online pictures of inmates who are released early from prison, along with other identifying details about them, in an easily accessed place on the Department of Corrections website.
Lawmakers approved the bill in April, and Brady called it a matter of public safety.
The Illinois Corrections Department quietly granted early release to hundreds of inmates last year. Some had spent only days or weeks in prison, and some of the prisoners had a history of violence.
Quinn wouldn't say Wednesday if he would sign the bill but said the state has taken steps to publicize information about former inmates. Currently, a search of inmates by name will turn up pictures and other details about parolees.
Brady and Quinn are battling it out for governor along with the Green Party's Rich Whitney. Quinn had harsh words Wednesday for a fourth candidate running as an independent.
Quinn said Scott Lee Cohen's character "leaves a lot to be desired," a day after the State Board of Elections said the only written objection to Cohen's nominating petitions had been withdrawn. With no one objecting, Cohen should get a spot on the fall ballot.
Cohen won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, but he was pressured to drop out when issues in his personal life became widely known, including accusations of failing to pay child support, taking steroids and domestic abuse. Cohen has admitted to past steroid use but denied other allegations, and called allegations about missing child support payments a misunderstanding.
"People also expect honesty and no one has been more honest about everything they've ever done than Scott Lee Cohen," Cohen spokesman John Davis said.