House Votes To Investigate Blago's $1 Million Mistake

By Margaret Lyons in News on May 2, 2008 5:25PM

The Illinois House voted 105-0 yesterday to order the chief auditor to investigate how the Blagojevich administration apparently gave $1 million to the wrong organization. Instead of going to the Pilgrim Baptist Church to help rebuild their school after a fire, the money went to Loop Lab School, which had been using Pilgrim Baptist facilities before the fire but isn't affiliated with the church.

Blagojevich and his staff have been extremely tight-lipped on the debacle, refusing to answer questions about how the funds were distributed and how no one noticed anything fishy.

"They know exactly who did it, exactly what happened and exactly under what circumstances, and they refuse to tell the truth," Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie) said. "If it isn't that, then it's the grossest amount of incompetence I've ever seen under any administration I've served under."

Oh, and Loop Lab School? Yeah, it's run by Dr. Chandra Gill, the recipient of one of Blago's rare pardons. And she thanks Blagojevich for his support right on the school's site (in video).

Best of luck to you, Auditor General William G. Holland! [S-T, Trib]