* Press release…
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Friday:
“House Democrats agree that action must be taken to protect the health and wellbeing of our military heroes in the Quincy Veterans Home, and we stand ready to work with the governor. Concerns and questions raised by our caucus remain unaddressed by the administration, but need to be resolved in order for us all to make the best decisions on behalf of our veterans and their families.
“We know all too well that we are in this situation entirely because for three years Governor Rauner failed to act, attempted to shift blame, and hid the truth even from our veterans, their loved ones and their caregivers. We must now work together to correct these failings and protect our veterans through the careful, considerate process that should have been this administration’s policy all along.”
Notice he didn’t say what questions “remain unaddressed.”
*** UPDATE *** Rachel Bold with the Rauner adminstration…
We hope this isn’t an attempt to play politics with the health and safety of our heroes at the Quincy Veterans Home or to hold up funding for this vital project. Our administration has cooperated with House and Senate hearings and provided hours of testimony, thousands of responsive documents, and has offered to collaborate with legislators to answer questions. In 2015 we acted immediately in conjunction with CDC scientists. If Speaker Madigan, or the members of his caucus have remaining questions it’s time for them to clearly articulate them.
- Anonymous - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 9:38 am:
Of course not. That’s what public hearings are for.
- Retired Educator - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 9:41 am:
This is the issue that will result in a new Governor come November. He is now being hit from all sides. Madigan, Pritzker, Ives, and a host of others. Staying the night, is not a ploy that will ring as admirable with the public.
- Demoralized - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 9:45 am:
The Governor has done what he always does and attempt to blame someone else for his failings.
Yes, this issue needs to be addressed, but you don’t just drop a bill for $200 + million for a new facility and say pass this now. I think there are probably legitimate questions about the amount.
This Governor, after 3 + years, still hasn’t learned how the process of governing actually works. He’s not a CEO. He doesn’t get to throw things out there and demand they do what he says.
- Anoniphone - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 9:54 am:
Is Madigan wrong?
- Sugar Corn - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 9:56 am:
The giant proposed capital expense in Quincy won’t distract everyone from the bumbling, deadly incompetence of Rauner’s team there.
Also, what’s the story on the newly named interim IDVA director resigning?
- Sugar Corn - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 9:57 am:
==Is Madigan wrong?==
Not on this.
Is the recently named IDVA director (Harry Sawyer) resigning?
Mark Maxwell reporting it.
- Grandson of Man - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 10:15 am:
I’m shocked that Madigan said anything at all. National Congress has had abysmal approval ratings, yet many strut around like they own the place.
Madigan is in the public business and is a leader. I believe he needs to speak out more and be more vocal—especially when a bully like Rauner turns out to be per-capita worse than Madigan and any elected officeholder of either political party.
- RNUG - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 10:17 am:
It is a given that you will have to relocate the veterans at least once, most likely twice, to renovate the Quincy home.
My question is why not buy / renovate or build a new permanent facility instead? Wouldn’t that be less disruptive? And possibly cheaper?
- Leigh John-Ella - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 11:23 am:
– In 2015 we acted immediately in conjunction with CDC scientists. –
The Rauner people try to cloak themselves in the CDC’s involvement like it was a good thing.
The CDC was brought in because this crisis grew beyond the Rauner administration’s ability.
And from the first CDC report on they’ve been told the pipes are filled with crud that is causing this. Three years later, in an election year, Rauner decides to propose doing something.
Golly, I hope this isn’t an attempt to play politics.
- Jocko - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 11:24 am:
==We hope this isn’t an attempt to play politics with the health and safety of our heroes at the Quincy Veterans Home or to hold up funding for this vital project.==
’cause that’s our gig (exclamation point)
- MG85 - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 11:36 am:
==We hope this isn’t an attempt to play politics with the health and safety of our heroes at the Quincy Veterans Home or to hold up funding for this vital project.==
That’s rich coming from an administration that literally tried to use this crisis as a way to blame a disabled war veteran and sitting U.S. Senator. It looks like the Peoria paper overlooked one similarity Rauner has with Trump: a lack of shame.
- VanillaMan - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 11:50 am:
Because this was handled like it was a political issue, instead of a serious health issue, Quincy is a full-blown political problem that reveals how bad a governor we have, in Bruce Rauner.
Rauner failed here. Now he is trying to weasel out of the responsibilities, costs and losses his poor handling of Quincy has created.
All you had to do is drive through Quincy, see the ancient pile of bricks housing VA services to know that there were problems.
Rauner and his administration tried to ignore it, muddle through, blame predecessors, dismiss deaths and now pretend to be pro-active on this three year old running crisis.
- Rabid - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 1:10 pm:
Bold comment that the bill is a mission statement, let’s see the blueprints
- Annonin' - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 1:13 pm:
Lookin’ for questions? Just go to the tape and write down everything said by those who arrived via GovJunk clown car.
- Chris Widger - Friday, May 18, 18 @ 2:26 pm:
==That’s rich coming from an administration that literally tried to use this crisis as a way to blame a disabled war veteran and sitting U.S. Senator.==
They didn’t try to do this. One person in the administration sent around an e-mail suggesting it, and then they didn’t do it. The e-mail is also clearly the type of predecisional document that isn’t FOIA-able (which is why it came out via leak), which is to say that we have a public policy of not considering such communications to be part of what the public has a right to see.