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* It took them two months, but it does show progress…
llinois State Police released a field report detailing the drunken driving arrest of Springfield parks director Michael Stratton on Thursday, more than two months after The State Journal-Register first sought the document. Click here to see a PDF of the report.
Police initially claimed that releasing the report would be against the law. Earlier this week, acting state police director Jonathon Monken said he thought releasing the records might constitute a misdemeanor.
But in a strongly worded letter to Monken on Tuesday, Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office said the documents must be released under the state Freedom of Information Act. Failure to do so demonstrated a “continued unwillingness” by the police to comply with open-record laws, the attorney general said. Click here to see a PDF of that letter.
The attorney general’s opinion made all the difference, according to Gov. Pat Quinn’s office.
“We wanted to make sure we were doing the right thing,” said Bob Reed, spokesman for the governor. “And when the attorney general’s office sanctioned the move, we moved ahead.”
Gee, was that so hard? Also, AG Madigan sent two letters, but whatever. At least they got the message now. I’m not sure I see what the big deal is, except now Stratton has received far more publicity than he deserved for this.
Now maybe the top state cop can work on the truly important stuff, like reducing the unconscionable rape-test backlog.
* Meanwhile, Cooley got himself a sweet ride…
Troopers seized a gleaming muscle car: a 2006 Dodge Charger, boasting a “Hemi” V-8 engine that blasts from zero to 60 in five seconds before topping out at 165 mph, with fewer than 12,000 miles.
But instead of using the car to snare lead-footed drivers or selling it to raise money for the state budget, officials assigned it to the director of the State Police Merit Board, according to interviews and a review of records by The Associated Press.
Merit Board director Ronald Cooley isn’t a cop and doesn’t chase bad guys. […]
The transfer also raises questions about how the department uses nearly two dozen other vehicles the police have seized, including a 2003 Cadillac Escalade, a 2004 Audi Quattro and a 2005 GMC Sierra. The agency refused to tell the AP who drives those vehicles, citing the possibility that it would jeopardize officer safety.
They love them some secrets over there.
* And, now, for some far more pleasant copper news…
Time Magazine has chosen Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart as one of it’s 100 most influential people of 2009. The magazine applauds Dart for refusing to send his deputies on court-ordered foreclosure evictions because many of the people being turned out on the street were tenants who had faithfully paid the rent. […]
Dart’s write-up in Time appears next to that of Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman.
The Tribune, however, plays spoil sport editorializer in its news section…
But if Dart really is a kinder, gentler sheriff, he’s first an ambitious politician. And he has a handy knack for getting himself national ink, not only with his refusal to evict renters but also for his recent lawsuit against Craigslist for allegedly facilitating prostitution. Not all the coverage has been rosy. Last year, the Justice Department slammed his office for conditions at Cook County Jail. But Dart managed to deflect much of the blow, pledging to work with the courts to combat a problem he says he inherited.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 1, 09 @ 9:34 am
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Was Monken acting on the advice of his legal department. If so, his initial position makes some sense. Could his legal team be yet another Blago holdover (or holdovers). Time for a change.
This can’t be the first time that these types of arrest record requests have been made, so why
doesn’t the state police legal team have a routine protocol.
Time for more changes at the state police bureaucracy even if some Dem hacks have to go job hunting. Monken needs to let his folks know that sandbagging him is not the right approach.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, May 1, 09 @ 9:53 am
I thought seized vehicles were auction off and proceeds went to the State.
Comment by Dan S, a Voter and Cubs Fan Friday, May 1, 09 @ 9:54 am
Well, I think we can safely say Jonathon Monken is officially an Illinois pariah now.
I look forward to reading about his continuing day-to-day buffoonery, and the buffoonery of his department. It will fill a void now that Blago and Burris news seems to be dying down.
Comment by Leroy Friday, May 1, 09 @ 9:57 am
Leroy —
(a) I don’t want the director of the ISP to be a pariah. So if what you’re suggestion is — or comes to be — the case, that’s bad news for everyone.
(b) But I don’t think a guy — even a guy like Monken — defaults to pariah status after a few short weeks. Blagojevich might be the exception — but then again, Blagojevich is the exception for nearly everything. I don’t claim to be an expert on the ISP — but I’ve worked with good folks over there — and I know the culture there is fairly deeply entrenched (as it is in almost every law enforcement agency.)
Give it a bit more time.
Comment by Macbeth Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:02 am
Great story by AP on Cooley’s Charger.
Seizure laws are controversial to begin with. If I recall, they were originally used to get the assets of drug dealers. Plus, if you seized a drug dealer’s car, the coppers got a great undercover car for nothing.
Here’s another rock turned over and clear abuse by a state board. Maybe we should get rid of all of them, and just put everything under the governor. At least then you’d know who was in charge.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:26 am
State governments are full of lawyers who think they know everything. Quinn has been saying that he wants a better balance between legal arguments and good government standards. Quinn has to demonstrate support for good government when these conflict, and the Governor needs to back his people when they go out on a limb against the cautions argued by lawyers.
We cannot get better government using legal standards as a benchmark. Quinn knows this, but he has to follow through when the lawyers hamstring public policy in cases such as this.
It took two months! It should have taken only a day or two tops, for the Governor to tell Monken when end is up.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:33 am
I think the bloggers doth protest too, too much…people, this a DUI case, not a FOIA on prosecution by the Feds such as Mr. Stewart requested when Gov Hairdo was around…I think the new administration has a lot on its plate and
I’d rather some foot dragging on an issue like this rather than ignoring some of the larger issues at hand…it’s too bad that Lisa got to grandstand on this issue…I guess she has nothing else to occupy her time right now than to try to undercut Pat’s image right now…
Comment by Anonymous45 Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:02 am
===people, this a DUI case, not a FOIA on prosecution by the Feds===
What’s the difference? You have two different administrations initially denying information to the public that is legally public.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:10 am
Wow- theat is great for Tom Dart. I saw Tom at the downtown parade with Dart 2010 signs. I wonder what he is planning to do next. Id be shocked if quinns legal team is still made up with rod’s guys
Comment by cliff d Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:20 am
On ISP giving Cooley a car to drive - one can only wonder what motivated the whole thing since Cooley sits on the board to money matter for ISP officers (not code employees). It has the appearance of potential ethics violation if not actual.
Comment by wondering Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:21 am
Wonder who drives the Escalade? Do they have the Sopranos theme on the stereo?
Comment by Nearly Normal Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:28 am
Rich,
Blago never realeased anything, unless there was
an interminable delay or the feds busted him…sounds like confusion reigned on this issue and the administration erred on the side of caution until it became a large enough issue and their hand was forced…in the big scheme of things, the info is out and I don’t see how Mr. Strattons arrest impacts the rights and well being of the citizens of the State in comparison to the economy, health care, transportation, capital bill etc.
I come from a long line of ACLU bleeding hearts and I am ok with the length of time this arrest record was released to the public…let’s move on…
Comment by Anonymous45 Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:33 am
Anonymous45, I mostly played this story down until yesterday. If anyone is overreacting or “protesting too much” here, it’s you. The SJ-R has been running story after story about this issue for two months. I suggest you aim your comments at them.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:36 am
Up until today, Director Monken has apparently had been heeding the advice of First Deputy Director Charles Bruggeman and other upper commanders who are holdovers from the last Director and Governor. Director Monken is in an unenviable position of temporarily needing some people to run the department who should probably go.
That seems to be changing as Director Monken is learning the lay of the land. It seems change is in the wind.
While many ISP employees were very concerned about Monken’s age and experience level, I have heard through the grapevine an increasing sentiment that this guy might be just what the ISP needs. Until the time he is confirmed I don’t think he can make the kind of changes necessary but he has made minor changes and all of them have been positive changes in the eyes of the rank and file.
Comment by Freezeup Friday, May 1, 09 @ 12:26 pm
The gift to Cooley sure raises questions about the Merit Board and The way so many unqualified people get promoted in the State Police. Maybe a ethics violation.
Comment by Bill Friday, May 1, 09 @ 1:51 pm
The Dart stuff is interesting. We’ve seen a lot of statewide polling this week testing names like Schakowsky, Gianoulius, Hynes, Madigan, etc. Given all the good pub he’s received, I’d like to see what Dart’s name rec/approval ratings are like. It’s just a hunch, but given the fact he gets much more Chicago media-market exposure than most statewide pols, I bet his numbers are up there with Madigan.
Not sure what he’s planning next. Wouldn’t want to face him.
Comment by Jim L Friday, May 1, 09 @ 1:52 pm
The Moline Dispatch had a picture of Cooley’s ride.. Sweet ride.
Comment by Bill Friday, May 1, 09 @ 1:53 pm
Director Monken needs one thing, a chief counsel from outside the agnecy who can provide advice un-tainted by the old guard.
Comment by Ghost Friday, May 1, 09 @ 3:39 pm
ISP director will have a tough time with no experience in police work,a totally entrenched management that will defy adjustments,and the instutional corruption prevalent in the organization.This kid is a political appointment and there won’t be any significant change of direction-get someone in there who isn’t handpicked by a politicians,and has some idea of where the Districts are and ISP is supposed to do-then something might happen
Comment by bugs Saturday, May 2, 09 @ 12:02 pm