Pat Quinn seeks referendum that would block mayor from 3rd term

Sneed exclusive . . .

Sneed has learned a movement is afoot to vote Mayor Rahm Emanuel out . . . before he’s voted in!

It could undermine the Rahmster’s re-election bid.

• Translation: It’s seemingly hush-hush, but petitions are being feverishly circulated to place a binding referendum on the November ballot to limit Chicago mayors’ tenure to two terms.

• Explanation: If the referendum to limit the mayor’s reign to two terms passes on Nov. 6, Emanuel — who is seeking a third term in office next Feb. 26 — is out!

“It’s not personal,” said former Gov. Pat Quinn, who is helping ramrod a grassroots effort that could derail Emanuel’s well-funded steamroller.

“Chicago is the only one of the 10 largest cities in America that doesn’t have a two-term limit for mayor. New York does. L.A. does.

“President George Washington only served eight years.

“King George of England was on the throne for 59 years — and was stunned Washington would voluntarily term limit himself!

“If two terms in office was good enough for Barack Obama, it should be good enough for Rahm,” said Quinn.

“Besides, Chicago has never had in its 181-year history a binding referendum on a ballot,” said Quinn. “So we’ve been quietly out collecting signatures.”

• The upshot: “We need 100,000 signatures by the filing deadline August 6 to get the referendum on the November 6 ballot — and we are halfway there already with 50,000 signatures,” he said.

•The bank shot: “The upcoming primary and possible run-off should draw big voter turnout and should be a big help in gathering signatures,” Quinn added.

• The end shot: “We are planning a major summer offensive to collect the rest of the petition signatures at all kinds of events; farmers markets; church festivals; bingo parties.

“It just requires a majority plus one on November 6 to win the referendum,” said Quinn, who successfully led a consumer advocate grassroots campaign via referendum creating the Citizens Utility Board.

“Our grassroots (takechargechicago.org) volunteers will be everywhere.”

A Swift decision . . .

Cold, with no chance of meatballs!

Sneed is told singer Taylor Swift pulled the plug on dining at an upmarket Chicago eatery Saturday night following her performance at Soldier Field — and abruptly headed out of town.

“She said it was too damn cold here,” said an informed, but disappointed, Sneed source.

No kidding.

The Trump pardon . . .

President Donald Trump’s decision at the request of reality star Kim Kardashian West to commute the life sentence of first-time nonviolent drug offender Alice Marie Johnson has a vague Chicago connection.

• Explanation: Johnson took educational and vocational programs at a federal prison in Aliceville, Alabama, where she has been incarcerated since 1996 — and helped coordinate the prison’s Special Olympics.

• Backshot: The Special Olympics began here, the brainchild of Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, who once taught vocational programs at the Chicago Park District.

Ring, ring . . .

Watch for Ald. Edward Burke (14th) to create a hotline for parents and schoolchildren in his ward who may have experienced the nightmare of sex abuse and bullying at the hands of Chicago Public School employees.

• Buckshot: It “follows in the wake of utterly reprehensible disclosures of failures in our Chicago Public School system to protect our youngsters from school board personnel who have sexually abused them,” said Burke, who was one of the first aldermen to tackle the scourge of child pornography decades ago.

• Ringtone: “There will be two hotlines for our Southwest Side community to provide appropriate law enforcement or medical counseling, one for Spanish-speaking and one for English-speaking residents,” said Burke.

• Shock shot: “We also plan to call upon tech companies who have the capacity to analyze school board electronic and computer devices to see if they may have been used to access child porn sites!”

Beware.

A man of substance . . .

Condolences to the family of retired Judge George N. Leighton, who died Wednesday at the age of 105. A mentor to me as a City News Bureau cub reporter in the late 1960s, he was an elegant, brilliant jurist. A man one never forgets. Let’s hope his wish to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery comes true.

Sneedlings . . .

I spy: Sports legends Denis Savard; Bobby Valentine; Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini; Dan Pastorini; Mike Adamle; Peter Longo; Paulie Malignaggi; Dan Hampton; Eric Soderholm; Phil Villapiano; Vince Ferragamo and Angel Manfredy in attendance at the Royal Fox Country Club in St. Charles on Monday for the 11th Annual Tommy Lasorda Golf Open . . . . Today’s birthdays: Allen Iverson, 43; Mike Pence, 59; and Fetty Wap, 27.