For Immediate Release
Monday, August 26, 2009
http://wallsforgov.com

Contact: Toure Muhammad
773.531.8798
toure@beansouptimes.com

On Monday, IL gubernatorial candidate William Dock Walls expressed concern and termed Pat Quinn attempt to publicly force U of I Trustees James D. Montgomery and Frances Carroll to resign “inappropriate.” Today, Governor Quinn acquiesced and said these Trustees would be allowed to remain.

Although the Admissions Review Commission Report listed several individuals who were directly involved in the Category I scandal, including certain Trustees, University President White, UIUC Chancellor Herman, College of Law Dean Hurd, Business Dean DeBrock, and University’s Office of Governmental Relations personnel, Terry McLennand and Richard Schoell, the hold-out trustees were not implicated.

Absent any evidence of wrongdoing on their part, William Dock Walls labeled, Pat Quinn’s insistence that these Trustees resign “reckless.”

Walls pointedly added, “There is no room in Illinois government for double standards. Governor Quinn did not demand the resignation of his aide Holly Copeland who admittedly solicited $15,000 campaign donations from special interest groups and trade associations in exchange for a meeting with him.”

According to Walls, “The people of Illinois will be better served if Pat Quinn’s would fully consider all facts and abandon his irresponsible “Shoot first and ask questions later” approach to state business.”

For Immediate Release
Monday, August 24, 2009
http://wallsforgov.com

Contact: Toure Muhammad
773.531.8798
toure@beansouptimes.com

Monday, August 24, 2009, 10:00 AM
State of Illinois Building, Plaza
100 W. Randolph Street, Chicago IL 60601

WILLIAM “DOCK” WALLS CALLS UPON GOVERNOR QUINN TO RESCIND HIS Demand FOR THE RESiGNATION OF HOLD-OUT U of I TRUSTEES

It was recently revealed that there was a shadow admissions policy at the University of Illinois. This nefarious institutionalized policy, entitled Category I, resulted in the admission of unqualified students with clout. Pat Quinn appointed a commission to review the situation and offer recommendations.

The Admissions Review Commission Report listed several individuals who were directly involved in the Category I scandal. That list includes certain Trustees, University President White, UIUC Chancellor Herman, College of Law Dean Hurd, Business Dean DeBrock, and University’s Office of Governmental Relations personnel, Terry McLennand and Richard Schoell. Consequently, Pat Quinn called for the resignation of the entire Board of Trustees. All but two have resigned.

Although the Board, in general, dropped the ball, the Commission report does not accuse either University of Illinois Trustee James D. Montgomery or Frances Carroll of any specific wrongdoing. Thus, Pat Quinn’s insistence on the resignation of these particular Trustees is hardly unwarranted.

According to IL gubernatorial candidate William Dock Walls, “It is inappropriate for Pat Quinn to publicly attempt to force U of I Trustees Montgomery and Carroll to resign amid a sweeping scandal that does not necessarily involve them. Absent evidence of wrongdoing, Pat Quinn’s insistence that these Trustees resign is reckless.”

Furthermore, Walls added, “There is no room in Illinois government for double standards. Governor Quinn did not demand the resignation of his aide Holly Copeland who admittedly solicited $15,000 campaign donations from special interest groups and trade associations in exchange for a meeting with him.”

Clearly U of I admissions reform is a priority. However, we must not rush to judgment and falsely implicate all U of I Trustees. We cannot, in good conscience, paint them all with a broad brush. Forcing these Trustees to resign would cast them under a cloud of suspicion and possibly cause immeasurable damage to their reputations.

The danger in Quinn’s course of action lies not only in the tarnishing of the reputations of these individual Trustees and discrediting of their service to this State and this fine institution of Higher Learning, but also in the mitigation of Due Process. If nothing else, government officials have a responsibility to implement policies that protect and strengthen the rights of citizens. Government officials must not engage in arbitrary actions that diminish citizen rights.

Walls said, “Certainly, there is a need for action. However, the citizens of Illinois deserve deliberate calculated action. Requiring Board Members to resign without a factual basis is symptomatic of an unhealthy shotgun approach to Illinois Government.”

Walls added, “Pat Quinn’ must abandon his irresponsible “Shoot first and ask questions later” approach. I urge Quinn to order an investigation, carefully gather all of the facts, establish whether these hold-out Trustees had any direct role in the Category I scandal, ascertain any mitigating circumstances and, thereafter, take only that action which is properly warranted.”

On Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 6:00 PM, William Dock Walls, candidate for governor of the State of Illinois, will host a campaign fundraiser. Co-chairs for this campaign kickoff event include Rachel Goodstein Director of the Friends of Meigs Field; Fashion Designer Barbara Bates; Robert Montgomery Director of Development for San Miguel Schools; and Crete Republican Businessman Jeff Patchet.

Walls, who will formally announce his candidacy early August, said, “I’m running because the State of Illinois needs a Governor who understands the importance of economic development. Pat Quinn’s $31 billion dollar Capital Budget program was long on dollars for roadbuilding and woefully short on dollars to aid in the development of business owned by average Illinoians.”

The geographically, socially and racially diverse 100 member fundraising committee projects that this event will raise a minimum of $75,000.00 dollars. The committee which includes Jan Donatelli, former candidate for the 5th Congressional District seat, has plans to raise one million dollars within the next three months.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE BELOW:

RE: DEMAND THAT HOLLY COPELAND BE FIRED FOR PAY-TO-PLAY FUNDRAISING

Governor Quinn,

On Friday, you acknowledged that your campaign aide, Holly Copeland, made calls to Special interest groups and improperly offered “face time” with you, directly in exchange for campaign donations.

In fact, Holly Copeland contacted Trade Associations that have funding requests or legislation pending in Springfield and informed them that she would arrange a meeting with you if they would contribute $15,000 to your political war chest. Obviously and clearly, the expectation is that if they pay that much for a meeting with you, you will support their efforts, irrespective of the merits.

Although this political fundraising scheme may not be illegal, it is immoral. This reprehensible activity has degraded your presumed moral authority and thereby jeopardized your ability to pass the proposed Illinois Reform Measures. Governor Quinn you cannot lead with unclean hands.

This activity has cast a cloud over your administration. This is a continuation of the blatant quid-proquo, pay-to-play, politics that led to the impeachment of disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich.

This type of immoral activity not only poses a dangerous threat to our Reform efforts but also to our democracy. Therefore, on behalf of many of Illinois citizens insist that you demand the resignation of Holly Copeland.

Sincerely,

William Dock Walls

OFFICIAL DEMAND LETTER BELOW:

On Friday, Governor Pat Quinn acknowledged that his campaign aide made calls to Special interest groups and improperly offered “face time” with Quinn, directly in exchange for campaign donations.

Quinn aide Holly Copeland contacted Trade Associations that have funding requests or legislation pending in Springfield and informed them that she would arrange a meeting with the Governor if they would contribute $15,000 to the Governor’s political war chest. Obviously and clearly, the expectation is that if they pay that much for a meeting with the Governor, he will support their efforts, irrespective of the merits.

Although this political fundraising scheme is not illegal, it is immoral. This reprehensible activity has degraded Pat Quinn’s presumed moral authority and thereby jeopardized his ability to pass the proposed Illinois Reform Measures. Governor Quinn cannot lead with unclean hands.

According to Gubernatorial Candidate William Dock Walls, “This is a continuation of the blatant quid-pro-quo, pay-to-play, politics that led to the impeachment of disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich. This type of immoral activity not only poses a dangerous threat to our Reform efforts but also to our democracy. Therefore, Holly Copeland must resign or be fired.”

Moments after Federal Prosecutors charged Rod Blagojevich with wrongdoing, then Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn demanded he step down and relinquish the duties of his office. Quinn alleged he was only interested in Reform. Immediately after Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris to the vacant U.S. Senate seat Quinn asked Burris to refuse that appointment. After Burris was seated Lt. Gov. Quinn called upon him to resign. To promote, Reform, Gov. Quinn must now request, receive and accept the resignation of his aide Holly Copeland.

In light of these shameful revelations, Walls asks, “Is Pat Quinn a true reformer or just another crooked politician awaiting opportunity to abuse the public’s trust?”

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE DOCUMENT BELOW: