Quinn to Sign Reform Legislation on Blago Arrest Anniversary

How apropos.

Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday he would sign legislation that would impose the state's first-ever limits on campaign contributions on Wednesday, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Temporal fundamentalists and Blagophiles will recognize tomorrow as the exact anniversary of the former governor's arrest.

“It’s substantial progress and I think it’ll make a great difference in making elections more competitive in Illinois and more open,” Quinn said this afternoon.

The law won't go into effect until 2011, so it won't effect next year's elections. The law would limit individual donations to $5,000 for the primary and general elections, corporate donations to $10,000 an election, and PAC donations to $50,000.

But, according to the Tribune, House Speaker Michael Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton, Sen. Christine Radongo and Rep. Tom Cross will be allowed to spend unlimited sums from the special leadership campaign accounts.

Quinn vetoed an earlier version of the bill this year, saying it was fatally flawed.

Quinn said he was signing the bill on Blago's anniversary to encourage reflection on the events of the past year.

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