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| Governor Chastised for More Corrections Issues |
Two candidates for governor say Gov. Pat Quinn must come clean when it comes to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Democrat State Comptroller Dan Hynes and Republican State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) are both calling on Quinn to tell all when it comes to the correction department's secret prisoner release program and the latest issue, a memo to corrections employees telling them to keep quiet and not talk to the media.
While Quinn contends the memo is to keep corrections officers safe, Hynes and Brady, both running for governor, don't buy it.
"Given all that has happened with the MGT Push scandal and all that we still don't know largely because Pat Quinn and his administration continue to stonewall the public, this gag order is unacceptable and must be revoked," Hynes said. "Furthermore, I am calling on the governor to issue immediately an executive order to extend whistleblower protections to those who first reveal wrongdoing or incompetence to the press."
Brady agrees that whistleblower protections should be extended to those state employees who talk to the media. Brady says Quinn is a hypocrite for standing behind such a memo.
"It's also hypocritical of the governor who once fought to give concerned workers a voice when they witnessed wrongdoing in their department four years ago," Brady said.
Brady is referring to the year 2006 when the director of the Illinois State Police tried to keep ISP employees from talking about alleged misconduct in their department. As Lt. Governor, Quinn wrote the director saying "State government should do everything possible to protect those with the fortitude to speak out about wrongdoing."
Brady says he is disappointed in the governor "for going back on his word."
Quinn says the memo simply highlights procedures already in place within IDOC. He says the memo is in no way a "gag order."
(Illinois Radio Network) |
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| 01 20 10 by Newsroom |
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