Ill. governor fires state's new conservation chief

[February 05, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has withdrawn the nomination for the state's new conservation chief just weeks after he was appointed by the state's former governor.

Quinn spokesman Bob Reed says the governor withdrew Kurt Granberg's nomination on Wednesday. Granberg had been acting as the head of the Department of Natural Resources since Jan. 22 while waiting for the state Senate to confirm the appointment.

Quinn told The Associated Press that he didn't want the beleaguered agency's head to be another in a "parade of political appointments."

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich had appointed the 55-year-old Democrat from Carlyle before Blagojevich was removed from office last week.

[Associated Press]

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