‘Poor sportsmanship’? Outgoing Illinois governor skips inauguration

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Something was missing Monday during the gubernatorial inauguration – the outgoing governor.

Pat Quinn stayed home in Chicago while successor Bruce Rauner was sworn in.

The move is without modern precedent said Taylor Pensoneau, a veteran Illinois political observer who began covering the Illinois General Assembly for the St. Louis Post Dispatch in 1965. He also has written several books on Illinois governors and political figures.

With the exception of the day Rod Blagojevich was impeached, outgoing governors have attended their successor’s swearing in for at least the last half-century, he said.

“One might say Gov. Quinn has shown poor sportsmanship,” Pensoneau said.

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