Let the lawsuits begin – maybe. As everyone knows, the General Assembly passed a bill last week that will force a special election to fill the state comptroller’s office in 2016. Failed Republican legislative candidate Leslie Munger was appointed to fill the job last Monday, but rather than serve a full 4 years, she will now have to run for election in 2 years if she wants to keep the job. During debate on the bill, Republicans repeatedly said that passing it would lead to litigation. They argued that the only valid way to provide for an early election to fill the office is to change the state constitution. Of course, because of the time it takes to change the constitution, that method would mean Munger would serve a full 4 years anyway.
Democrats, attempting to claim the high road, said that would deprive voters of any input into who should be the state comptroller for 4 years, something they said was wrong. They didn’t talk so much about the fact they may well pick up the office if it is up for election during a presidential election year, which 2016 is.
Which takes us back to the idea of someone filing a lawsuit to block the bill after outgoing Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn signed it into law, as the Republicans seemed to argue is inevitable. The question is, Who might do it, and on what grounds?
Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner, while critical of the bill, didn’t threaten to go to court over it. Instead, he said he’ll continue to work to merge the offices of treasurer and comptroller to save taxpayers money.
Full Article: Special election law en route to suit? Maybe not | SaukValley.com.