Former Illinois Governor Jim Thompson dead at 84

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/15/politics/former-illinois-governor-james-thompson-dead/index.html

Former Illinois Governor James "Jim" Thompson died last night at 84 years old. Thompson was elected as Governor of Illinois in 1976, and continued to serve until his retirement at the 1990 elections. Thompson was best known as Governor for his approval of compounding, 3% COLA increases for retirees from Illinois government jobs, which is considered a major portion of Illinois's pension crisis.

Both in and outside of Illinois, Thompson became known for serving as the U.S Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, where he prosecuted many corrupt Illinois officials, most notably former Governor Otto Kerner Jr.

After his Gubernatorial term, Thompson served on the 9/11 Commission.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I had a substitute teacher in High School who used to live across the street from him.

[Indy Texas]

Thompson was best known as Governor for his approval of compounding, 3% COLA increases for retirees from Illinois government jobs, which is considered a major portion of Illinois's pension crisis.

But clearly it's all THE DEMOCRATS' FAULT as the GOP insists.

Anyway, he managed to serve as IL governor for 14 years without facing a felony indictment, so that's an achievement in and of itself.

[Roll Roons]

RIP FF. Wouldn't it be nice if Illinois could have a governor like him again?

[Fuzzy Bear]

He was the best Governor of IL in my lifetime, all things considered.

I predicted that Thompson was going to be Bush 41's pick for VP.  Quayle was considered more of a "movement conservative", but Thompson would have been a more useful pick, even as I view Quayle as unfairly maligned.

He never ran for President.  He was never seriously suggested as a Presidential candidate.  I found that kind of odd.

[Continential]

He was the best Governor of IL in my lifetime, all things considered.

I predicted that Thompson was going to be Bush 41's pick for VP.  Quayle was considered more of a "movement conservative", but Thompson would have been a more useful pick, even as I view Quayle as unfairly maligned.

He never ran for President.  He was never seriously suggested as a Presidential candidate.  I found that kind of odd.

I guess why is because somebody could attack him for "Chicago's crime".

[RINO Tom]

Thompson was best known as Governor for his approval of compounding, 3% COLA increases for retirees from Illinois government jobs, which is considered a major portion of Illinois's pension crisis.

But clearly it's all THE DEMOCRATS' FAULT as the GOP insists.

Anyway, he managed to serve as IL governor for 14 years without facing a felony indictment, so that's an achievement in and of itself.

He left an ember burning on our campfire at the end of the night ... the Democrats doused it in gasoline and brought along fifty more lighters of their own.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Too bad the license for bribe scandal erupted during the Edgar, Ryan and Daley administration. The public schools were always on strike throught Thompsons tenure

[MarkD]

I'm 55, I'm gay, and I've been hanging out in gay social circles since the 1980s. I heard rumors, more than once, that Thompson was a closet case. That's all they were, rumors, but I heard about them at least twice.