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* So far, at least, the Republicans on the Legislative Audit Commission have found nothing like a “smoking gun” to claim any illegal political actions by top-level Quinn administration officials on the governor’s anti-violence initiative. They have a couple thousand government e-mails, but nothing that shows anything spectacular.

So, they shifted gears a bit yesterday…

After Thursday’s vote, Barickman shifted focus to a cache of 2,300 NRI-related emails Quinn’s office turned over to the audit commission last Friday in response to a June 25 request.

Specifically, Barickman and Mautino asked for emails, letters and any memoranda related to the rollout and implementation of NRI between March 2010 through September 2012. The request targeted former Quinn chief of staff Jack Lavin, former Central Management Services director Malcolm Weems, former Quinn deputy chief of staff Toni Irving, former Quinn senior advisor Billy Ocasio, former Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Warren Ribley, former DCEO chief operating officer Andrew Ross, and Reshma Desai, the former director of grant programs for the now-defunct Illinois Violence Prevention Authority.

Barickman voiced concern “about the potential that the governor’s office didn’t fully comply with our request for emails,” noting Quinn’s office asserted “a blanket privilege claim” to withhold some documents, though the senator said he was uncertain about which documents may have been protected by the governor’s office.

Barickman also questioned whether the governor’s office may have “significantly limited their scope” in searching for emails “in a way that doesn’t comply with our original request.”

Notice that he said the “potential” that the governor’s office didn’t fully comply. The administration’s response…

“Those not provided on the disc were privileged attorney-client communications between state employees and state attorneys either seeking or providing legal advice,” Quinn spokeswoman Katie Hickey said.

The Republicans did mention Wednesday that it appeared former Quinn chief of staff Jack Lavin had forwarded some state e-mails regarding the initiative to a private e-mail account. But, again, it’s just wispy smoke.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:07 am

Comments

Dopes.

The story that needs to be kept alive is;

“We have stood down at the request of the United States Attorney’s Office as the complete an ongoing Federal investigation of the Quinn Administration.”

The utter ignorance now of trying to salvage something that needed no help to be damaging in the first place reminds me how Sen. Barickman played the “Fool” in this unscheduled farse.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:13 am
Emails are hot in some GOP circles, so it’s a way to plant a seed.

Who do you think is actually going to read the email they have?

Given that the federales didn’t care about the release of emails or documents, I’m purely speculating that the path they’re pursuing has nothing to do with anything that would have been put in writing.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:13 am
Brady2010 & Jumpin’ Jason really blew this one big time…should have demanded the LAC authorize lawyers, State Police, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to scour the emails to see what is missing and demand compliance or demand court orders…blah, blah , blah
Instead they were forced to admit they looked like dopes on Day I and whimped on Day II
Fire, Aim, Ready

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:21 am
@FakeSenBarickman - I stopped interrupting Rep. Mautino long enough to tweet please pay attention to this train wreck so it seems less of a farce. #SometimesHolesDontNeedToBeDug

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:24 am
Using the term “potential” there seems like a baseless and weak claim at this point.

More interesting queries are

- Did Lavin reply to those emails he forwarded to his private account? What did those replies say? Was he deliberately attempting to circumvent FOIA rules? What, if anything, could he have to say that was so sensitive he couldn’t respond from that account? It may be nothing at all or it may be a smoking gun.

- Why did a few attorneys say their clients had no relevant douments despite the committee already having proof to the contrary? The look on one attorney’s face was priceles when he said “My client’s name doesn’t appear anywhere in these files, he has nothing for you” and Barickman informed him that couldn’t be true because they already had emails from the Governor’s office his client was cc’d on and should have provided.

- Why did one attorney state they had been communicating with and following guidance from Heather Weir while remaining incommunicado with the committee and the committee’s attorneys prior to the hearing?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:29 am
Durkin and Sandack, the lead dopes on this one, share the same legislative district as Sen Minority leader Radogno. Gotta be something in the water.

Comment by Toure's Latte Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:37 am
zzzzzzzzzzzzz

GOP fiddles while Rauner morphs into a much more greedy version of Mitt Romnney.

Comment by too obvious Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 11:59 am
It’s very important for Republicans to let the public know that bruised egos and worries about disrespect are among the principle concerns of the Legislative Audit Commission.

Keep up the good work, heroes!

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 12:17 pm
- FKA -,

I can answer every one of those very pertinent and important questions. No snark. Honestly. Here is the answer;

“As the US Attorney has asked the commission to stand down, those answers need to take a back seat for the next. 90 days as an ongoing Federal investigation of the Quinn Administration takes it course, and even answering those points, I wouldn’t want to impede a possible criminal investigation when I don’t have to”

With respect.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 12:22 pm
Ok, I’ll help ‘em keep the story alive by golly.

https://twitter.com/arthurandersen2/status/490183419515523073

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, Jul 18, 14 @ 12:24 pm
FNA - Are you joining the Republican Party’s attempts to smear Madigan’s attorney? That’s low.

You obviously didn’t listen to the testimony. He talked to the Executive Director and she referred him to Heather and the other caucus attorneys because the Audit Commission doesn’t have an attorney.

Never thought I would defend Jack Lavin, but you’re forcing me to do it. The emails were communications using state email and these people no longer work for the state. How would they have access to the emails?

Comment by summertimeblues Saturday, Jul 19, 14 @ 3:13 pm
I do accept as true with all of the concepts you’ve presented to your post.
They are really convincing and will certainly work.
Still, the posts are very short for starters. Could you please prolong them a bit from subsequent time?
Thanks for the post.

Comment by Late Term Abortion Clinics Tuesday, Jul 22, 14 @ 10:04 am