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Madigan vows to block Quinn, keep scholarships

Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn.
(UPI/Bill Greenblatt)
Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn.

An aide to Michael Madigan says the House speaker will block Gov. Pat Quinn's attempt to end the controversial legislative scholarship program.

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown tells the Chicago Sun-Times that Madigan believes Quinn infringed on the state Legislature's lawmaking authority when the governor rewrote legislation intended to bar state lawmakers from awarding tuition waivers to relatives.

Instead, Quinn used his amendatory veto to abolish the program.

Brown says that move violated the state constitution and Madigan won't let the House vote on whether to accept Quinn's amendatory veto.

Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson says the governor is intent on getting rid of the scandal-ridden program.

Lawmakers can give scholarships to anyone in their districts, and many go to students with ties to campaign contributors .