 Quinn announced Stermer’s appointment in a Chicago news conference Friday
afternoon.
“The sudden passing of Judy Baar Topinka left a hole in the hearts of the people
of Illinois,” Quinn said. “While no one can replace Judy Baar Topinka,
government must continue. Jerry Stermer is a respected and experienced budget
expert who will carry out the duties of comptroller with integrity and heart.”
Quinn said Stermer will work closely with Nancy Kimme, Topinka’s longtime chief
of staff. Stermer will voluntarily step down Jan. 12.
Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner and fellow Republicans praised the decision.
“Appointing a temporary placeholder and keeping Judy Baar Topinka’s staff in
place is an appropriate decision and will ensure continuity of services for the
people of Illinois – for that I thank the governor,” Rauner said. “I know Jerry
Stermer will be well served by Nancy Kimme and the team in the comptroller’s
office.”
Topinka, 70, the Republican incumbent comptroller and November winner of another
four-year term, died suddenly last week after suffering a stroke.
Since then, Quinn, who has less than a month left in office, and Rauner have
sparred over how and for how long the position should be filled.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued an opinion earlier this week, saying Quinn
could appoint someone to serve until Jan. 12, but the appointment then would be
Rauner’s to make.
Rauner argues the state constitution makes it clear that he, as the sitting
governor come Jan. 12 – when Topinka would have been sworn in again — must
appoint someone to fill Topinka’s four-year term.
The Democratic attorney general said while Rauner might be able to do that, he
shouldn’t because it would leave an appointee in an elected position for four
years.
Quinn on Thursday seemed to take the attorney general’s position as his own and
called the General Assembly to Springfield for a special session Jan. 8. Quinn
wants the Legislature to enable an election for comptroller in 2016, with the
primaries in March and the general election in November.
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 To date, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, supports the
special election.
A spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said the
speaker sees the dispute over the comptroller’s office an executive
branch matter and would like Quinn and Rauner to reach an agreement.
House and Senate Republicans joined in Rauner’s position.
In a joint statement, the minority party leadership said
departing from a clear constitutional path at the eleventh hour
could only lead to unnecessary discord and litigation.
Late Friday, it was far from clear what – if anything – might come
of the Jan. 8 special session.
Sen. Matt Murphy of Palatine, deputy Republican leader, said he
favored Rauner making a four-year appointment. However, he added,
the special session could be put to use to pass a proposed
constitutional amendment to be placed on the 2016 ballots. That
amendment would combine the offices of state comptroller and state
treasurer.
Combining the two offices, Murphy pointed out, was an idea Topinka
supported.
Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon, said it wasn’t clear anything would come
out of the special session. If Speaker Madigan insists the governor
and governor-elect work out the question of the comptroller’s office
without legislative intervention, the session may be a short one
with nothing passed.
And, that, he added, might not be the worst thing ever: “I think
we’ve all had enough drama.”
Rep. Mike Smiddy, a Democrat from Hillsdale, said he intends to
further study the attorney general’s opinion, but his inclination is
that a four-year appointment to an elected, statewide office might
be a stretch.
“That seems a little long to me,” Smiddy said.
Better perhaps, he said, would a comptroller’s election in 2016,
especially as it could fit within the existing election calendar and
not cause undue expense.
[This
article courtesy of
Watchdog.]
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