In the News

Chicago Sun-Times, May 16, 2009

SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Quinn's office took the unusual step late Friday of retracting a letter of support for a West Side hospital expansion after drawing bipartisan criticism for personally promoting the project.

Quinn's office sent a letter bearing his signature to the scandal-plagued Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, touting Hartgrove Hospital's bid to build an 88-bed mental health facility at 520 N. Ridgeway.

His letter, dated March 5, praised the hospital's "commitment to once again provide services in this community." But it sparked serious questions about why he would personally intervene on a matter before a board that was ground zero in the corruption scandals that knocked former Gov. Rod Blagojevich from office.

Late Friday, Quinn's office said the letter was written without his backing and said it shouldn't have been sent to the board. A new letter correcting the original one would be sent immediately to the hospital construction board.

The letter "was sent out by mistake and does not reflect the opinions of the governor. The governor has no official position on proposed projects before the Health Facilities Planning Board," said a statement from Quinn's office.

"The letter never crossed the governor's desk and was sent out by the governor's Office of Constituent Affairs during a time of transition."

Quinn's office said it put stricter standards in place about a month ago to prevent similar instances from happening.

The mistake is the second embarrassing blow Quinn's administration has faced in less than a month involving the board. In late April, after being appointed by Quinn to chair the board, Dr. Quentin Young abruptly withdrew from the job because of a potential conflict of interest.

Before Friday's mea culpa, Quinn was hammered over the Hartgrove Hospital letter by key members of a legislative panel that recommended dramatic overhauls to the board after the Blagojevich scandal.

"It's very upsetting to me to hear that while we're pushing for reforming the planning board, the governor is encouraging certain projects to be pushed through," said Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Highwood). "It just doesn't make any sense to me."

Later told of Quinn's retraction, Garrett said, "Given the fact he was going through a transition, it might be good to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, the fact this letter became public and a retraction had to be made underscores the fact that we have to continually monitor the Health Facilities Planning Board and make sure politics do not enter into the process."

A top Republican who served alongside Garrett on the Illinois Task Force on Health Planning said Quinn had no business getting involved in the activities of a board he has the authority to appoint.

"Clearly this is what we set this board up for -- so it wouldn't be political," said Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington), who is eyeing a run for governor next year. "When the person who appoints you weighs in, it is certainly political."

A Hartgrove spokesman could not be reached Friday.