Auditor general gives report on Quinn program to investigators

SPRINGFIELD-Acting on a request from House and Senate Republicans, Auditor General William Holland turned over his audit of Gov. Pat Quinn’s $54.5 million Neighborhood Recovery Initiative program to federal investigators and to the state executive inspector general.

The move by Holland, announced Friday by House Minority Leader Jim Durkin’s office, follows last week’s release of a blistering assessment of Quinn’s anti-violence program that the governor launched one month before his 2010 election.

In his audit, Holland described the initiative that was launched by Quinn one month before his 2010 election as “hastily implemented” and beset by “pervasive deficiencies in … planning, implementation and management.”

The request of Holland to turn over his report to investigators was made by state Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine; Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon; Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon; and Rep. David Reis, R-Willow Hill.

In response to them, Holland indicated he had turned over his audit to U.S. Attorney James Lewis, who oversees the Central District of Illinois, and state Executive Inspector General Ricardo Meza.

“Obviously, he sees there may be some criminal activity that’s gone on there, so I think that’s why he wanted it to go to both places, the inspector general and U.S. attorney,” Reis told the Chicago Sun-Times, referring to Holland.

A spokesman for the auditor general declined comment.

When Holland’s report was released last Friday, the governor’s office confirmed it had not received any subpoenas related to the program. The auditor general’s action Friday doesn’t guarantee an investigation from either office will ensue.