By: Diane Benjamin
The Edgar County Watchdogs have filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Arts Council Agency headed by Shirley Madigan – wife of Speaker Mike Madigan and mother of AG Lisa Madigan.
The suit accuses IACA of violating the Freedom of Information Act. See the documents here: 2016-MR-23-1
The Liberty Justice Center is representing the Watchdogs in this case. Below is a statement from Attorney James McQuaid:
“All too often, government bodies in Illinois show contempt for the citizens they’re supposed to serve by disregarding their legal duties under the Freedom of Information Act. That’s what Shirley Madigan and the Illinois Arts Agency Council did when the Edgar County Watchdogs made a simple request for records showing how the agency is using taxpayers’ money. We’ve brought this lawsuit to make the agency follow the law and bring this information to light.”
Hmmm. Would the local EDC, MCRPC and all other groups receiving tax dollars have to produce information through FOIA requests.
IACA is a government agency. The others pretend
So, basically, if an organization only exists by using tax dollars but “pretends” to have no official government affiliation they are not accountable to the taxpayers–no questions allowed. That sounds like a definition of corruption.
BINGO!
Ha! How many tax dollar rebates do I get for winning “BINGO?”
Sorry, just Screwed like everybody else who isn’t friends of government.
Does the attorney general’s office represent mother Madigan? For instance if an employee at ISU is sued in the course of their work at ISU the attorney general’s office represents them right?
Funny, could be a mom-daughter deal. Since it’s a FOIA case, I’d hope Lisa sends a junior lawyer.
I’m human and not a politician. If it were my mom I would send the best lawyer at my disposal. But then my family probably would not find ourselves in this situation because we have ETHICS and MORALS.
Laws are only for little people, FOIA requests are too trivial to actually follow the law.
Thanks for posting the suit. I just read it. They’ll win. They FOIA statute is clearly in their favor. Good for them!
They have won against the State before, they should have known better.