Rod Blagojevich needs to answer 10 questions on gas prices
Blagojevich promised to keep gas prices low but they’ve doubled under his watch; also voted against drilling in Congress
SPRINGFIELD — DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett issued the following 10 questions for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich today at Governors Day at the State Fair:
1. When you were a candidate for governor in 2001 and 2002, you twice blasted the Republican Governor and Attorney General for “allowing” gas prices to rise to $1.99-a-gallon. Now that gas is double that price, what’s your excuse? (Rick Pearson, Ray Long, “Blagojevich Steps on the Gas; Governor Hopeful Chides GOP Foes on Prices at Pump,” Chicago Tribune, June 19, 2001).
2. You claim to be a history buff. Has Illinois ever had a governor who presided over a doubling of gas prices?
3. What, specifically, have you done to try to reduce the price of gas in Illinois the last six years?
4. If your answer is that it’s President George W. Bush’s fault, how do you explain that in 2001 and 2002 you said the state was responsible for high gas prices?
5. If you insist it’s President Bush’s fault, will you now admit that your earlier attacks on Republican officials were an insincere pander to voters.
6. Could it be that high gas prices explain your habit of working from home instead of traveling to your job like millions of Illinoisans?
7. When you were in Congress, why did you vote against Gulf of Mexico drilling? Gulf of Mexico Drilling June 21, 2001, House Amendment 107 to H.R. 2217 (Roll Call # 181)
8. When you were in Congress, why did you vote against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, August 1, 2001, House Amendment 298 to H.R. 4 (Roll Call # 317)
9. When you were in Congress, why did you vote against dozens of reforms designed to increase the supply of domestic oil? Securing America’s Future Energy Act August 2, 2001, H.R. 4, Final Passage (Roll Call # 320)
10. Do you now regret that your anti-drilling votes helped Congress block new American sources of oil that could have been online by now and would have helped mitigate your disastrous record of keeping gas prices low as Governor? “Rod Blagojevich deceived Illinoisans when he said he could lower gas prices,” Joe Birkett said. “He needs to be held accountable for his blatant demagoguery. When he had a chance in Congress to solve our supply problem, he voted against drilling for American oil and in favor of more foreign dependency.”
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Birkett, the president of the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association, is exploring a candidacy for higher office in 2010.
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