Quinn Refuses To Testify About Anti-Violence Program
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Gov. Pat Quinn has rejected a challenge to testify before a legislative panel looking into the scandal-plagued anti-violence program Quinn created before the 2010 election.
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports Quinn said he has no intention of facing questions from the Legislative Audit Commission, which is looking into the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, has subpoenaed a number of the governor's aides and other state officials.
"This is an Audit Commission. The program didn't work out. I'm angry about the fact that it didn't work out. Having said that, we defunded that particular program, abolished the agency that was running the program, and moved the anti-violence effort to another agency," Quinn said. "I've talked about this issue repeatedly."
Earlier this year, Auditor General William Holland issued a report finding NRI had major problems with mismanagement and spending. The report said the program was so hastily organized and sloppily executed that auditors questioned 40 percent of the expenditures claimed by service providers.
The program is now under investigation by state and federal prosecutors for how $55 million was spent.
The Audit Commission has not asked Quinn to testify, but state Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), a frequent critic of the governor, had been urging the governor to stop dodging.
The governor's Republican challenger, Bruce Rauner, also had said Quinn should testify before the Audit Commission about how spending decisions were made under the NRI program.