Gov Quinn’s Violence Prevention Authority shows Lisa Madigan asleep at the wheel –

SPRINGFIELD, IL (ECWd) –

Attorney General Lisa Madigan was the Co-Chair of Governor Pat Quinn’s Illinois Violence Prevention Authority (IVPA), which means she was a key player in the actions taken by that group, and I think most will agree has some explaining to do based on just a brief review of the records.

The program has come under scrutiny after the release of the Auditor General’s report. (Click here for full report)

“Maziarz explained that IVPA lacked supporting documentation on specifically how lead agencies were selected since they allowed local elected officials to make those decisions. Additionally, there appeared to be no conflict of interest due diligence by IVPA to ensure that the individuals making the lead agency decisions had no relationship with the organizations they decided on for NRI.  (Click here for auditor general report document)

With Lisa Madigan being in charge as Co-Chair of this program, one must ask how it is that millions of dollars of Federal and State money was dispersed with no supporting documentation on how recipients were selected. These selections were made by “local” elected officials.  Specifically, it was Chicago Aldermen deciding where funding for a state program went, not state officials.   Is that not a reckless failure to perform her mandatory duty by law?  By law, because she is assigned to that position by statute.  How can this happen?

It happens when you are not at the wheel! 

In this case the records reflect that Lisa Madigan did not attend a single meeting of the IVPA Board of Directors in 2010, 2011, and 2012 even though she was the Co-Chair in charge of the IVPA! (Click here for Board Attendance records)

Think that’s Bad? 

Between the two Co-Chairs they attended a whopping 1 meeting in three years! 

• Why hasn’t Lisa Madigan been given a subpoena in this investigation?
• If subpoenaed would she plea the fifth, as we suspect all the others will?

The other figure that has been subpoenaed is the Executive Director of the IVPA, Barbra Shaw.  I suspect she will plea the fifth, especially with what the records are pointing to.

As a teaser to this treasure trove of corruption found in our document review, it is clear Ms. Shaw has some answering to do as well.

According to records reviewed in detail it appears there might be a reason Barbra Shaw was asking about criminal attorneys just 5 days after the resolution was passed to authorize looking into the problems with the IVPA program. (Click here for auditor general report document reflecting this concern)

“Rosanna Ander, Executive Director – University of Chicago Crime Lab said she had conversations with the Governor’s Office and IVPA Executive Director Barbara Shaw regarding the evaluation of NRI. She said the Crime Lab was interested in conducting the evaluation because they are interested in learning what works and what does not work with these types of violence prevention programs. Ander said she contacted Shaw and offered to have the Lab
conduct the evaluation at no charge.  She said Shaw declined her offer.”

 Why would anyone turn down Pro Bono work being offered from the University of Chicago Crime Lab?

“Ander further stated in her “proposal” to Shaw regarding the evaluation, she made it very clear that it was going to be an objective evaluation and the goal was to conclude whether or not, through the evaluation, the Program is or is not effective. Ander further stated that the evaluation would include a cost benefit analysis including a determination of whether the Program was an effective use of resources. Ander said she got the feeling that Shaw was not interested in whether or not the evaluation concluded the effectiveness of the Program.” (Click here for document containing above quotes).

So what did Barbra Shaw do to ensure the programs got evaluated to see if the goals and objectives of the program were met?

She enters into a $500,000.00 CONTRACT with University of Illinois – Chicago to conduct the evaluation!  A contract that failed to ever provide the evaluation of the effectiveness of spending over $50 million dollars of the taxpayer money!

“IVPA failed to enforce provisions of an intergovernmental grant agreement with the University of Illinois at Chicago relative to an NRI Evaluation Project. IVPA had not required the University to submit the deliverables outlined in the grant agreement or to follow the timeline for providing the deliverables. Additionally, data which was required to be submitted by community partners under NRI for evaluation was not always submitted. Further, IVPA did not require the University to assess whether NRI had been effective in reducing violence in the communities in which State funds were expended. (pages 43-47)”  (Click here for full report and see page 14 of 172)

So Ms. Shaw felt having the work done for free was of no interest so she spends half a million dollars and gets the same result; No Report on the effectiveness in reducing violence!   

Let’s keep this simple!

(720 ILCS 5/33‑3)(from Ch. 38, par. 33‑3)
Sec. 33‑3. Official Misconduct.) A public officer or employee or special government agent commits misconduct when, in his official capacity or capacity as a special government agent, he commits any of the following acts:
(a) Intentionally or recklessly fails to perform any mandatory duty as required by law

If the information above doesn’t rise to Official Misconduct I don’t know what does?