Kinzinger and Singer Call on Governor Quinn to Denounce Jackson’s Airport Plan

JOLIET, IL – U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-11) and Will County Board Member  Cory Singer today held a media conference call in response to Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s “groundbreaking” event for the Peotone Airport on Saturday.

In light of more troubling information regarding Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.’s airport plan involving SNC-Lavalin, Kinzinger and Singer denounced Jackson’s plan to eliminate Will County authority over the airport and called on Governor Pat Quinn to stand up and put an end to Jackson’s political stunts.

“Over the years, Jackson has acted like he, alone, has control over the third airport. As a member of Congress, I know that we have no direct control over the process – that is a state issue,” Kinzinger said on the call. “Jackson has used his position to create this notion of perceived power to try to bypass the state process that he couldn’t control. When Jackson couldn’t control an airport under the normal process, he formed his own commission, Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission – which is headed by Jackson’s own governmental chief of staff and ultimately has zero control over the direction of the airport.

“All of his actions, like this past weekend and his call for an occupy movement on the airport property, is nothing more than political grandstanding to force his way into the issue and ultimately, skip a process that he hasn’t been able to bypass for the last decade.

“In addition, I question Congressman Jackson’s judgment when the supposed funding comes from a company that was recently raided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for allegedly trying to smuggle the son of the former Libyan dictator into Mexico. In addition and for different reasons, the World Bank has suspended this company from bidding on World Bank projects following an investigation into a Bangladesh bridge project.”

Singer added, "Rep. Jackson claimed he has $700 million of funding for the airport and it's guaranteed by the Government of Canada.  It's false. He's not telling the truth.  We did our own digging and discovered the Government of Canada is not guaranteeing this investment."

“It’s time to end the political stunts,” Kinzinger said.  “I am calling on Governor Quinn to denounce Congressman Jackson’s plan, especially with the ethical cloud currently surrounding this company. If not, it is telling that Governor Quinn, just as Congressman Jackson, have full faith in this company.”