Blago's Law - Illinois Moves Toward Recall of Governors

The Illinois Senate sent Gov. Pat Quinn a constitutional measure that could allow Illinois voters to recall legally-challenged governors.

Yes, even in squeky clean Illinois, that can happen occasionally. From the Tribune's Clout Street blog:

Under the measure, voters would be asked on the November 2010 ballot to approve a constitutional amendment allowing recall.

If voters approved next year, they would permit Illinois citizens to launch a petition drive to recall a future governor. But several additional hurdles must be cleared, including getting authorizing signatures from as many as 10 senators and 20 representatives.

Sponsoring Sen. Michael Noland, D-Elgin, said it is time to "empower the people" who did not have the chance to launch a petition drive to recall Blagojevich.

In Iowa, state House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, filed legislation that would have allowed recall of local elected officials. It was a shot fired during the Linn County Board of Supervisors' pay hike fiasco. It didn't move an inch in the Democratic Legislature.

I know recall carries dangers, but I think voters who put these folks in office ought to have a way to take them out early if they really screw up. The recall bar voters must cross to force a vote should be set very high, so that it's only used at appropriate moments.

Illinois also approved new, tougher government transparency laws earlier this year, while changes in Iowa were shelved yet again.