5 years, 7 months ago by Scott Hardy
WBEZ-FM reports case may be presented to Adams County Grand Jury; probe has been "underway"
According to a Chicago radio station, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has opened a criminal probe into how Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration handled several Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy.
WBEZ-FM first broke the story Wednesday afternoon, saying that Madigan’s office contacted Adams County State’s Attorney Gary Farha Tuesday to say it had plans to present a case to an Adams County Grand Jury. According to Farha, the call was also made to seek permission to present evidence to the Grand Jury. It's scheduled to hear cases Thursday, but the State Attorney General’s office said that any possible case or cases wouldn't be ready to present by then. The next scheduled grand jury hearing is set for October 25th. Farha said he nor anyone from his office would be taking part in any prosecution, and that it would be lawyers from Madigan's office appearing before the Grand Jury. It's not yet known who would be a target of the investigation, or what they may be charged with, but a spokeswoman for the Attorney General said that a probe has been underway. Maura Possley said that they're investigating whether any laws were broken in the state's response to the outbreaks. A Rauner spokeswoman says that the state has been transparent throughout the entire process.
14 Vets Home residents have died of Legionnaires' since 2015, and nearly 70 residents and staff have gotten sick from the disease.
