* Bill Brady stood with his former primary opponent yesterday to demand an investigation into why the Dept. of Corrections has lost track of some parolees who were part of the secret, botched MGT Push release program…
A group of Illinois legislators that includes Gov. Pat Quinn’s Republican opponent want a joint committee of the Illinois House and Senate to investigate parolees who disappeared after being released early from prison.
Senators Bill Brady and Kirk Dillard and Rep. Dennis Reboletti said Thursday that they’ll seek information from Quinn’s office. Brady is running against Quinn for governor.
The legislators’ move comes after The Associated Press reported that dozens of parolees disappeared after being set free as part of a secret early release program.
This issue won’t ever go away. But Gov. Quinn tried to blame the General Assembly and, by extension, Brady for the problem.
Gov. Pat Quinn blamed an outdated computer system Thursday for his Corrections Department’s failure to keep track of all the prison inmates who were granted parole under a secret early release program.
The outdated technology makes it harder to keep track of the thousands of inmates in Illinois prisons, he said, a day after The Associated Press reported that officials don’t know the location of dozens of inmates who were released early.
The Democratic governor did not provide details of how the computer system supposedly hampers tracking parolees. The Corrections Department has not mentioned computer problems in explaining the missing parolees or what’s being done to track them.
Quinn said he asked for money to update the computer system earlier this year but legislators said no.
“I inherited this. I didn’t create it,” he said during a news conference. “I’m trying to solve a problem.”
*** UPDATE *** Brady responds to Quinn’s response…
Republican candidate for governor Bill Brady says Gov. Pat Quinn should have fixed Illinois’ prison computer system before releasing criminals early.
Brady on Friday said Quinn should have used $3 billion in discretionary money last year to upgrade the Corrections Department computer system. He says then maybe dozens of parolees let out of prison early wouldn’t be missing.
[ *** End of Update *** ]
* Meanwhile, this is highly unusual, to say the least…
Gov. Pat Quinn’s new chief spokesman is taking an indefinite leave of absence to pursue a spot in the General Assembly, according to an administration source familiar with the decision.
Bill Cunningham, who joined the governor’s office earlier this month, is seeking to be named the replacement on the November ballot for the Southwest Side House seat that opened up when Democratic Rep. Kevin Joyce announced he will not seek re-election.
Cunningham went on unpaid leave [yesterday] in order to avoid any conflicts of interest as he tries to get the House seat, the source said.
Kristen McQueary wrote a few days ago that Cunningham is the frontrunner to replace Rep. Joyce…
Joyce’s announcement has spawned intrigue about a few possible contenders: Maureen Kelly, who ran for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board; Fran Hurley, a trusted Rugai aide; Bill Cunningham, who worked for Sheriffs Michael Sheahan and Tom Dart and recently accepted a post with Gov. Pat Quinn; Frank Bilecki, local government liaison for Comptroller Dan Hynes; Mike Cullen, legislative liaison for the Illinois Commerce Commission; and John O’Sullivan, Worth Township Democratic committeeman.
The front-runner? Cunningham, although the timing is miserable. He accepted a job as Quinn’s chief spokesman days before Joyce announced his decision to withdraw. […]
Cunningham would be Joyce’s top recommendation, and O’Shea likes him, too. He is campaign-ready, having worked for years within the sphere of government, politics and media.
O’Shea said he will wait until June 28, the last day to apply online for the 35th District seat, before interviewing candidates. The decision will be wrenching. He carries the heaviest weighted vote based on the makeup of the district, followed by O’Sullivan and Palos Township Democratic Committeeman Sam Simone. Orland and Lyons township Committeemen Dan McLaughlin and Steve Landek represent a small piece of the district as well.
* In other campaign, um, news, SLC got himself a new iPhone yesterday…
Illinois gubernatorial candidate Scott Lee Cohen was among the masses waiting in line at Northbrook Court.
“There’s no special treatment here,” said Cohen grabbing some fresh air while his two sons held their place in line. “I’m waiting my turn just like everybody else.”
The Cohens, still hours away from iPhone pay dirt, had already waited for three hours.
“I’m very fortunate to have great kids and they wanted the new phone,” said Cohen while campaigning over his old iPhone.
“The iPhone allows me to be in constant contact with my staff, with my calendar and it makes me more accessible to the people of the state.”
There’s your quote of the day.
* Related…
* Panel interviewing candidates for 60th state House seat: Link would confirm the identity of only one of the applicants: Angelo Kyle, a Lake County Board member from Waukegan who had twice unsuccessfully challenged Washington for the seat in Democratic primaries, most recently this past February.
* Questions Linger About Planned Southern Illinois Development: Leaders in Southern Illinois say a new destination development is the key to thousands of new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment. But one leader from Metro East isn’t so sure.
* Cavaletto Reacts to Signing of “Star Bonds” Legislation: Critics say it’s nothing more than corporate welfare - using taxpayer dollars to support a private developer. State Representative John Cavaletto in Salem says while Star Bonds will benefit southern Illinois - his district has their own priorities which could have benefitted from the legislation. “We’re going to keep working for our district and the 600 acres in Mt. Vernon just sitting there,” he says. “We want to promote that area and bring jobs and businesses to our area, so we’re going to be working on that in the next legislative session.”
* Quinn Signs STAR Bonds Bill in Marion: The bill may be signed, but there’s no official list of businesses that plan to build. Holland said prospective users for the site include Great Wolf Lodge, a hotel and water park, and outdoor retailers like Cabela’s or Bass Pro. He expects to break ground in about a year.
* Quinn inks STAR bond legislation: “We have a long way to go,” Quinn said. “We were dealt a blow with the Great Recession. A lot of wheelers and dealers on Wall Street … will never put us down. We’ll never give up.”
* Jobs to ‘last a lifetime”: A jubilant crowd gathered in Marion to watch as the governor signed the bill sponsored by state Rep. John Bradley and state Sen. Gary Forby into law, the first of its kind in the state.
* Holland says Cabela’s now interested
* Boosters: There’s infinite potential for entire region
* Sherman pops up at STAR bond signing: Self-described atheist Rob Sherman surprised the Benton Democrat by showing up at the gathering and asking Forby about the $20,000 grant he helped secure for Friends of the Cross, the group raising funds for the restoration of Bald Knob Cross of Peace. “Sen. Forby had declined to respond to my numerous requests to speak to him about the $20,000 grant,” Sherman said.
* Press Release: Economic Recovery Commission Presents Final Report to Governor Quinn: The Economic Recovery Commission today presented its final report to Governor Pat Quinn detailing recommendations to improve upon Illinois’ 21st-century business model and help rebuild the state’s position as a strong, expanding economic power. “I appreciate the hard work of the Economic Recovery Commission,” said Governor Quinn. “Its insights will help us work together to build on our existing assets and position our state for strong, lasting recovery as we move out of this historic recession.”
* The Chicago Politician, the Discredited Non-Profit and a Mystery Earmark
* Time for Crotty to stand on her own feet
* Illinois AG Madigan inspects E. St. Louis nursing home, finds wanted man
LIVE session coverage...
- wordslinger - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:19 am:
Quinn’s rationalization is like saying the General Assembly’s dog ate his homework.
- Just wondering - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:31 am:
Joyce’s replacement was a done deal a week ago. It’s just a dog and pony show now to make it look like it was fair and open process.
- Ahoy - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:31 am:
“There’s no special treatment here,” said Cohen grabbing some fresh air while his two sons held their place in line. “I’m waiting my turn just like everybody else.” - SLC
Who would give him special treatment?
- just sayin' - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:38 am:
Quinn should say fine. Let’s both go over to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office. I’ll tell him everything I know about the Dept. of Corrections matter, and you Bill Brady tell Fitzgerald everything you know about the votes you made in the senate to specifically help your real estate business.
Okay it’s a date. Shall we say 2′ish?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 10:51 am:
Quinn’s problems at IDOC aren’t going away until the man who created them — Director Randle — steps up to the plate, accepts responsibility, and steps down.
The political gymnastics the Governor is going through to protect what is obvious to everyone was a bad pick are wearing us all out.
Remember the advice of business author Jim Collins: Get the right people on the bus and in the right seats, and get the wrong people off the bus as quickly as freakin’ possible.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:06 am:
What sucks is that this isn’t just a political issue. It is a very real problem during a campaign year. It has serious implications and we’ve already discovered some crimes, including a murder, committed by these freed felons.
Even if this was not a political year, these measures have to be taken to prevent more harm and deaths.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
Quinn deserves this backlash against this stupid idea. Even if he wasn’t a candidate.
If someone spins this as a political move only, that person should get a swift kick in the pants.
- OneMan - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:12 am:
You figure you would have just waited until someone pawned one…
Also considering some of his past his use of the ‘face time’ function could be interesting.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:16 am:
We should quit beating this dead horse. Randle accepted responsibility for early release issues. I know the DOC computer system is awful, awful. Randle has made significant improvments in DOC
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:20 am:
ps
Somehow this was cut off of previous statement. Brady should talk about substantive issues not play little political games. Not being able to locate 50 or so of 45,000 men and women involved in DOC doesnt seem like a gigantic problem to me. the gigantic problem is the the 45,000 how about some suggestions Mr. Brady about how to reduce this number
- Responsa - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:27 am:
____Not being able to locate 50 or so of 45,000 men and women involved in DOC doesnt seem like a gigantic problem to me.—
See, that’s a gigantic problem right there. These “men and women” were not “involved in DOC”. They are on parole!!!
- Sammy - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 11:51 am:
To reduce AWOLS down to zero, maybe beef up parole division to have an agent per parolee, pay them overtime for 24 hour a day supervision.
Kidding aside, Yellow Dog is right and Randel has missed all the cues to just step down. If he is waiting for Quinn to tell him to step down it won’t happen. But this is what happens when you appoint a guy into a high profile position that doesn’t understand politics.
- Just sayin - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:01 pm:
Meanwhile Randle’s career in IL and in the future is ruined. His credibility is gone and he is the “fall guy.” One “google” is all it’s gonna take when he is looking for another job. No matter who was really to blame, he’s gonna take the fall in the press and I fear that by his not walking away now, the ads/press articles are only going to increase quickly as the election draws near. Willie Horton=Michael Dukakis.
- Louis Howe - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:03 pm:
“Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive, “as Quinn’s campaign dilemma looks more like a Shakespearian tragedy with every new plot turn at Corrections. Whether Quinn’s response is Sean Vinck inspired, or just the general incompetence of the Gov’s executive staff, the MGT fiasco was not a problem generated by a computer. Unfortunately, taxpayers are going to spend millions in wasted time and effort to deflect attention away from the continuing saga of mismanagement at corrections. Blaming the computer system went out of style 30 years ago, a time period Quinn seems presently to be stuck in.
- Vole - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:07 pm:
I am scratching my head as to where all the tourists for the big development in Marion are coming from. St. Louis area? Don’t they already have all the proposed attractions in their back yard? And the average per capita income in S. IL is probably not high enough for locals to be coughing up much discretionary bucks to make this thing sing.
If this recession endures for a long time as appears likely then this tourist mecca will never bring in anywhere close to what the boosters promise. I hope someone is taking names.
Cabelly Up!
- 618er - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:25 pm:
If this guy had Bass Pro or Cabela’s lined up to put a store in So Illinois, he wouldn’t need these bonds. I wouldn’t think it would take much for someone in state govt to find out if there was interest to put a store in that area.
- OneMan - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:25 pm:
As a computer guy without more details I am going to call BS on the ‘computer issues’ reason.
A centralized system that has activity information for someone by a give IDOC number would not be rocket science to develop, test or implement. Even if the thing is slow and on punch cards you should be able to gen a report in a day.
- Really? - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:28 pm:
doesnt seem like a gigantic problem to me. the gigantic problem
Unless you or a family member is killed or robbed by just one of these folks.
Vman is right we have to fix this.
- too obvious - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:48 pm:
With this bad economy it’s no time to try and put Dog The Bounty Hunter out of business.
I guess Bill Brady doesn’t care about jobs.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 12:55 pm:
too obvious,
ironic nickname since what you wrote has no obvious meaning.
- jonbtuba - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:05 pm:
Of course you can count on Brady (the “cut all spending by 10%” candidate, lest we forgot) to come out and say Quinn didn’t spend enough money as governor. The hypocrisy train just keeps on chugging along.
- Wizard of Ozzie - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:35 pm:
Dupage Dan, it’s a joke. If you don’t know who Dog the Booty Hunter is take a second to use the Google before posting.
Funny post.
- Cincinnatus - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:43 pm:
- jonbtuba - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 1:05 pm:
“Of course you can count on Brady (the “cut all spending by 10%” candidate, lest we forgot) to come out and say Quinn didn’t spend enough money as governor. The hypocrisy train just keeps on chugging along.”
Perhaps, just perhaps Brady means that Quinn might have spent money allocated by the GA on the WRONG THINGS. The Governor has the right to prioritize expenditures. Maybe if Quinn put a few dollars toward an upgraded computer system, if indeed one is needed, he would not find himself in this pickle today.
- dave - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 2:08 pm:
Maybe if Quinn put a few dollars toward an upgraded computer system, if indeed one is needed, he would not find himself in this pickle today.
This is “f’n golden,” as one might say.
If Quinn had spent money on upgrading a computer system at the expense of services/programs elsewhere, people (probably rightfully so) would have freaked out.
- Cincinnatus - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 2:25 pm:
Dave,
Is it your contention that there is no waste within the DOC or that there is some money within the department being spent in some politically correct manner (think special treatment because of a prisoner class, race, religion):
How about the money spent here:
SPRINGFIELD – June 16, 2010 –The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) will host the 4th Annual Women in Corrections-Illinois Conference Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2010, at the Regency Conference Center in O’Fallon, IL.
or:
DECATUR – April 9, 2010 – The Moms and Babies Program at the Decatur Correctional Center held an open house today to celebrate its 3rd anniversary.
or:
Springfield - March 24, 2010 - The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) is committed to promoting U.S. Census awareness regarding populations under its management and supervision.
Perhaps the money programmed for these types of fell-good policies at the IDOC could be used to set up a system to keep track of felons and other dangerous criminals. I know that I would prioritize ACTUAL benefits of parolee monitoring over the POSSIBLE, PERCEIVED benefits of these other types of programs.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 2:43 pm:
=== We should quit beating this dead horse. Randle accepted responsibility for early release issues. ===
Um, no he didn’t.
Five other people got canned — people who actually advised him against the early release program — while he still has his job.
That’s not accepting responsibility, that’s SAYING you accept responsibility. Two VERY different things.
- GetOverIt - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 3:17 pm:
The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Brady is in support of lowering the minimum wage. Is he trying to win the election? or lose it? I’m confused.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 3:26 pm:
Thanks for the clarification, YDD. At the time there were several people who posted here that the folk who were bounced were well respected, hard working employees who were assets to the DOC. Their dismissal was one part of why I lost trust and faith in PQ. I really wanted him to succeed even tho I am a republican but his decisions similar to this one boggle the mind.
- Just sayin' - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 3:29 pm:
Good point about responsibility Yellow Dog. Randle is playing semantics on this point too by repeatedly telling people that he “decided” to take responsibility.
If the parolees were lost due to an outdated computer system then I suspect there would be more than 50 missing. Nothing that Randle does can make up for the fact that he wasn’t concerned about releasing violent criminals early and people got hurt.
- DuPage Dave - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 3:53 pm:
To Just Wondering- how would you go about proving the veracity of your statement that “Joyce’s replacement was a done deal a week ago”?
Seems to me it can neither be proven nor disproven.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 4:41 pm:
dupage dan the folks who were “let go” from DOC should have been let go a long time ago,including the blago holdovers.
- Bob - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 6:17 pm:
I wonder if Randle made any other stupid decisions that are going to make the press?
- Bob - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 6:58 pm:
Oh, and anonymous, list one significant improvement that Randle has made within IDOC. Just one, please.
- STAR BOND TAXPAYER RIP OFF - Friday, Jun 25, 10 @ 8:14 pm:
Quinn played politics big time with the Star Bond mess. The worst bill ever will be proven to be a bad joke for the Gov and all the clowns that supported it. Ironic that the schools in the Marion area supported this joke. Guess they forgot that the same property is already in a TIF District and they (schools and other taxing bodies) will not get any property tax from this “worst biil ever” signed by a Governor that obviously does not have a clue. The joke will be on the folks in Marion and the surrounding area in about six months to a year