Peoria Pundit

News and Media from River City

Politics: Emil Jones retiring as Illinois Senate President

Rich Miller, who warned his subscribers long ago this was coming, has the details. This is a huge blow to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Jones earned my ire by pushing the University of Illinois into dumping the chief. It’s hardly the worse outrage he has perpetrated on the state, though.

His long-time hold of the state senate demonstrates how desperately we need a Constitutional Convention to establish limits on how long anyone can serve in a leadership position, as well as limits in how established candidates can spread around campaign cash to build their own power.

5 Responses to “Politics: Emil Jones retiring as Illinois Senate President”

  1.   anotherexjser Says:

    Wow, Jones and Musharraf call it quits the same day.

  2.   curious Says:

    I heard this morning he became senate majority leader in 2003. I thought it was longer.

  3.   Democrat Says:

    After not getting his raise he had to retire…Can’t get food stamps with a fulltime job.

  4.   postsimian Says:

    Do you think he’s retiring because he wants to retire, or is he retiring the same way people in Alberto Gonzales’ DoJ retired so they could “spend more time with [their] family (before going to prison)?”

    Either way, the sigh of relief is happening in stereo.

  5.   information Says:

    He was Senate Minority Leader for a number of years before Democrats won majority control in the 2002 elections, taking office as Majority Leader in Jan 2003.