Cleaning up Pat Quinn’s mess
Tuesday, Apr 19, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
A state audit has found that anti-violence programs administered by former Gov. Pat Quinn lost nearly $4 million in questionable expenses or unspent funds never collected.
The review released Tuesday by Auditor General Frank Mautino covered three programs designed to fight violence, including the “Neighborhood Recovery Initiative” that Quinn’s office developed in 2010 as he was running for election to a full term. Questions about program spending helped defeat his 2014 re-election bid.
The audit found problems with how grant recipients were chosen, how contracts were written, how spending was monitored and how unspent funds went uncollected.
Other than that it was fine.
/snark
The full report is here.
- A Parent - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:06 pm:
“Questions about program spending helped defeat his 2014 re-election bid.”
Hopefully this report will thwart any thoughts towards a 2018 re-election bid.
- John Gregory (ex-IRN) - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:08 pm:
Total cost of the program was supposed to $54 million, right?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:26 pm:
So did the whole Mautino controversy just go away quietly? Just wondering.
- DuPage - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
Did the program save lives? It seems like the violence has gotten worse in the last year.
- Stones - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:50 pm:
For a guy who worked his entire life to become Governor he sure blew it when the Office fell into his lap.
- Mama - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 2:56 pm:
Does this mean another IL Governor is going to jail? I hope not.
- Big Muddy - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:13 pm:
When can we expect the Mautino release of the full audit of the Mautino campaign finances?
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:17 pm:
Minor book keepin’ items
And crime as we knew it is gone
Too bad crime durin’ the BigBrain era is out of control
- crazybleedingheart - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:23 pm:
== Did the program save lives? ==
Yes. Without a doubt.
No excuse. But a mismanaged grant program that actually distributes dollars compares extraordinarily well, in terms of outcomes, to nine months of Rauner/Radogno/Durkin Beast-Squeez.
Rauner’s ICJIA plan seems to be to correct its past misfeasance by going after the small community providers it failed to regulate and monitor.
A Beast-Squeez windfall.
What a waste.
- Liberty - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:26 pm:
Political peanut shells.
- Excessively Rabid - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:30 pm:
Nice reminder of how it happened that somebody like Rauner became governor.
- Anon - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:38 pm:
I find it rather difficult to take Mautino seriously on issues such as “how spending was monitored.”
The Dems like scapegoats and Quinn is an easy target. Some Dems would like us to believe that now that those bad guys are out of the way, everything is above board.
- Ginhouse Tommy - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 3:48 pm:
Stones I completely agree
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 4:05 pm:
I think this is the tip of the iceberg. Believe there are more programs being audited….the investigation into Quinn’s administration is not over.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 4:27 pm:
Still waiting for Mautino to get back to us with explanations of his own problems.
- Qui Tam - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 4:29 pm:
= Does this mean another IL Governor is going to jail? I hope not.=
Why not if he did the crime?
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 4:47 pm:
Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll clear this right up at his CSU Commencement speech…
- Hynes Guy - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 6:03 pm:
That’s how Quinn beat Dan Hynes in 2010. That money was used to pay campaign workers and camps that were otherwise disenfranchised from the Quninn-ers. Do we need mention names? Hmmmm?
- FormerParatrooper - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 6:23 pm:
Wow. I read the report, and am lost for words.
- weltschmerz - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 7:01 pm:
Anybody being indicted? Bwaahaap! I’m sorry, coffee just came out of my nose.
- Moist Von Lipwig - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 7:28 pm:
News: Sometimes nonprofits don’t file reports on time.
News: state agency didn’t do on site check ups.
Response: Attack Quinn! This is a Travesty!
Meanwhile people are really suffering from this ideological and partisan attack on the social services.
- Wayne Bibliotech - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 7:37 pm:
I agree with crazybleedingheart, and I’m not one.
- DuPage - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 8:36 pm:
Who is going to clean up Rauner’s mess?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 19, 16 @ 8:55 pm:
This is the end for comeback Quinn!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 8:11 am:
NRI price tag: $4 million
Turnaround Agenda Pricetag: $4 BILLION.
The lack of a state budget is estimated to increase state debt by $8 billion by June 30th. The interest on that debt will cost taxpayers $4 billion over four years. If we don’t pass an FY 17 budget, that cost will climb even further.
- State worker - Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 8:22 am:
I hope ICJIA will study the impact of the turn-around agenda on anti-violence programs.
- Political Animal - Wednesday, Apr 20, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
Why are people talking about jail time?
This appears to be an issue of gross mismanagement, but nothing criminal. Looks more like incompetence than corruption.