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Illinois Gov. Quinn facing ongoing investigation

By WTOP Staff

SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Democratic Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, locked into a competitive re-election bid, is fighting to maintain an image as a reformer who’s cleaned up state government as questions about a now-defunct anti-violence program he started in the run-up to his 2010 election threaten to hang over his campaign for months.

On Wednesday, a bipartisan commission of lawmakers agreed to grant federal prosecutors’ request to wait to call a number of former Quinn administration officials they subpoenaed to testify about the program, which a state audit recently concluded had “pervasive” problems, including misuse of funds. But Democrats rejected Republicans’ push to set schedule that testimony for October — just weeks before the Nov. 4 election. Lawmakers recessed until Thursday without a plan on how to proceed.

Federal prosecutors had asked lawmakers to hold off on calling the officials for 90 days to avoid any conflicts with their criminal investigation.

Republicans, who see the gubernatorial election this year as a chance to win control of a Democratic-leaning state, have alleged Quinn used money from the $55 million Neighborhood Recovery Initiative as a political slush fund to secure votes in predominantly minority neighborhoods of heavily Democratic Chicago in a tight race. Quinn has denied that claim and says he has “zero tolerance” for fraud or abuse. He’s also defended the intent of the program, which provided mentorship, job training, counseling and other help for ex-convicts in Chicago’s violence-plagued neighborhoods.

Regardless of whether there was any wrongdoing, the allegations alone could be damaging for Quinn, who often touts the steps he’s taken to turn Illinois around after the last two governors went to prison for corruption. His GOP rival, Bruce Rauner, meanwhile, has worked to paint Quinn as just another insider.

“The one thing (Quinn) does have and always has had is a reputation for integrity,” said Chris Mooney, a political studies professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The Legislative Audit Commission oversees state audits and must approve one that concluded that the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative was hastily put together, poorly managed and that some funds never went to violence prevention efforts. Quinn has said he shut down the program in 2012 when concerns about possible misspending arose.

Quinn’s office also says it has instructed all state agencies to support any law enforcement inquiries. Senate Republican spokeswoman Patty Schuh says Quinn’s office provided members of the Legislative Audit Commission about 2,000 emails linked to the program.

Six witnesses who’d been asked to appear told the commission through their attorneys that they wouldn’t do so, in deference to prosecutors’ request. A seventh appeared but said he’s “not ready” to testify.

Quinn, who was traveling to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, signed a new law that strengthen rules for how the state awards and oversees grants.

“What happened with the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative program was unacceptable and should never happen at any state agency,” he said in a statement. “When I learned of these issues, I took responsibility by defunding the program and shutting it down, and today I am instituting the strongest reforms in the nation.”

Prosecutors have given lawmakers the green light to collect documents from witnesses. Six witnesses indicated they would turn over any relevant communications by Thursday if they have any. Former senior adviser Billy Ocasio said he didn’t have any such documents.

The 12-member commission is split evenly between Republicans and Democrats, though one Democrat was absent. Nine votes were needed to set a new date to call the witnesses.

Democrats — who are looking to curb the critical headlines –balked at Republicans’ attempt to set a firm date of Oct 7, saying it would be tough to undo if prosecutors haven’t completed their work. Republicans, eager to hammer on Quinn administration missteps in an election year, said they want to learn what went wrong and prevent a repeat.

Quinn ascended to the governor’s office in 2009 when lawmakers ousted Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich after Blagojevich was arrested on federal corruption charges. Quinn won his first full term in 2010, beating Republican state Sen. Bill Brady by a slim margin.

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Associated Press writers Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Kerry Lester in Springfield, Illinois, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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