SPRINGFIELD, IL. (ECWd) –
On June 3, 2014 we reported (here) on a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request for review that has been waiting a determination for two years.
In April I received an email from the Attorney General’s PAO that I now consider a complete lie:
John, we have been working to informally mediate the complaint, but at this stage given those discussions, we are also drafting a determination letter. I think it’s important to stress, however, that our office does not have the authority under the transparency laws to require the public body to issue a refund, so our work is focused on educating the public body through the informal mediation process and ultimately a determination letter.
That was 14 weeks ago, and the original FOIA request was dated June 20, 2012, and the original complaint to the AG’s office dated July 21, 2012.
This has been over two years ago!
If Lisa Madigan has no more control over her office than what has become the miserable failure in citizen access to public records, there is no reason for her to be re-elected to a position that she is obviously not qualified to perform.
Is waiting more than TWO YEARS considered reasonable to anyone?
Lisa Madigan – you are a joke, and this is the shining example of why people are taking to the circuit courts for FOIA determinations – because you cannot do your job. If you resigned today nobody would notice.
3 Comments
Barb
Posted at 19:15h, 03 AugustJohn, I sent a copy of the tax payer’s paid audit, $50,000.00 that was done on the Ford-Iroquois County Health Department on April 7th, 2014. It was sent to Lisa Madigan’s office to a Mary Bucaro. Here it is August 3rd and I have not yet even got a reply to my letter. Below you will see a copy of my letter:
Illinois Attorney General Office
100 W Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601
312-814-1763
April 7th, 2014
Dear Mary Bucaro;
I am a resident of Iroquois County in Illinois. This letter is being written in regards to a forensic audit that was performed on the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department (FIPHD) and the findings within.
I have enclosed a copy of the audit which was performed by the CliftonLarsonAllen firm for your viewing. As a resident and tax payer in Iroquois County, I find this report very disturbing and would like to know what the Attorney General has in mind for prosecuting this department. The forensic audit clearly shows criminal activity within the FIPHD.
What will it take to prosecute the $128,000.00 Solar Panel project? I, and others in this community would like to know what the Attorney General will be doing about the criminal action and fraud that has been performed against the taxpayers of Iroquois County.
I would appreciate your attention to this matter and a reply to my inquiry.
Sincerely;
So, John, I guess the criminal acts and fraud through this department isn’t really all that important to the Illinois’ Attorney General. However, it is VERY important to the people of Iroquois County that paid for the forensic audit, which by the way Edgar Co Watch Dogs had already supplied this information to the FIPHD “free.”
I wonder when, or IF, I will ever hear from the Attorney General’s office?????
Thanks,
Barb
jmkraft
Posted at 19:21h, 03 AugustAll I can say is don’t hold your breath…
Susan Newberg
Posted at 16:05h, 03 AugustCould not agree more!