In a 10-1 vote, lawmakers on Tuesday granted themselves the ability to subpoena records from Governor Pat Quinn’s botched Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, a program that has been described as a political slush fund for his 2010 re-election campaign.
State Senator Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) who is Co-Chair of the Legislative Audit Commission originally sought the authority to issue subpoenas. Tuesday the authority was approved by the panel of 6 Democrats and 6 Republicans with the lone no-vote being Representative Frank Mautino (D-Spring Valley).
The commission now has the power to subpoena records and witnesses as they investigate the now shuttered anti-violence program. Its primary responsibilities are to:
- Conduct public hearings on all major audits of state agencies to review problems, assess agency stewardship, and secure remedial action
- Initiate and review management and program audits and investigations
- Make recommendations to the General Assembly and agency management for corrective legislation and other measures to remedy weaknesses disclosed through audits or at commission hearings
- Monitor agency progress in implementing corrective action
The Neighborhood Recovery Initiative is under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Illinois Auditor Bill Holland has handed over his audit to U.S. Attorney James Lewis.
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