WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today commended the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) for their 7-4 decision in favor of the closure of the Thomson Correctional Center.
Senator Durbin and Governor Quinn issued the following statement:
"We are pleased the bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has endorsed the sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government and rejected the partisan rhetoric.
Elected officials, community and business leaders and the residents of Northwest Illinois are wholeheartedly supporting this proposal because they understand that this is an opportunity to create up to 3,800 jobs and generate more than $1 billion in a region that desperately needs both.
Fully utilizing Thomson and upgrading this facility to make it the safest prison in the nation will not jeopardize the safety and security of our country or our state; we would never endorse a plan that would do so. Despite the fear-mongering and nay-saying of a vocal few, we stand with state, county and local law enforcement officers and state's attorneys from across the area, and with our nation's military commanders, who know that this is about making our country safer by removing the deadly recruiting tool that Guantanamo has become.
This should not be a political or partisan issue. This is about doing what's right for our troops, for our national security and for the people of Illinois. We will continue doing everything we can to make this sale a reality and bring the jobs and other economic benefits to our state."
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Support for Federal Acquisition of Thomson Correctional Center
State of Illinois:
Governor Pat Quinn (D-IL)
Former Governor James R. Thompson (R-IL)
Former Governor Jim Edgar (R-IL)
Illinois State Senator Mike Jacobs (D-36th District)
Illinois State Representative Mike Boland (D-71st District)
Illinois State Representative Jim Sacia (R-89th District)
Illinois State Representative Pat Verschoore (D-72nd District)
Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police
Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System
Illinois Sheriff's Associations
Illinois State Police
Illinois Department of Corrections
Illinois Emergency Management Agency
Illinois Office of Homeland Security
Carroll County State's Attorney Scott Brinkmeier
Lee County State's Attorney Henry S. Dixon
Ogle County State's Attorney John (Ben) Roe
Stephenson County State's Attorney John Vogt
Whiteside County State's Attorney Gary L. Spencer
Federal:
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Senator Roland Burris (D-IL)
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Representative Phil Hare (D-IL)
Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Representative Bruce Braley (D-IA)
Abner J. Mikva, Member of U.S. Congress (D-IL), 1969-1973, 1975-1979; White House Counsel, Clinton administration; Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, 1979-1994
Dan K. Webb, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Illinois, 1981-1985 Thomas P. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Illinois, 1977-1981; Former Co-Chair of the Illinois Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment, 2000-2008
Local:
Blackhawk Hills Resource Conservation and Development
Boiler Makers Local 1
Boiler Makers Local 60
Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 6
Byron Mayor Chris Millard
Carpenters Local 790
Carpenters Local 792
Carroll County Board of Supervisors
Carroll County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies Committee
Chadwick Village
Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters
Clinton City Council
Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce
Dixon City Council
Elevator Constructors Local 132
Elizabeth Village Board
Freeport City Council
Fulton City Council
Galena City Council
Glaziers Local 1355
Greater Sterling Development Corporation
Hanover Chamber of Commerce
Hanover Village
Heat & Frost Insulators Local 19
IBEW Local 364
IBEW Local 15
Illinois Highway 30 Coalition
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council Local 30
Iron Workers Local 498
Jo-Carroll Depot Local Redevelopment Authority
Laborers Local 32
Laborers Local 309
Laborers Local 727
Laborers Local 1035
Lanark City Council
Lee County Industrial Development Association
Milledgeville Village
Millwrights Local 2158
Mount Carroll City Council
Northwestern Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council
Operating Engineers Local 150
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council Local 30
Painters' & Drywall Finishers Local 502
Painters' & Drywall Finishers Local 607
Painters' & Drywall Finishers Local 676
Plasters & Cement Masons Local 11
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 23
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 25
Quad City Chamber of Commerce
Renew Moline
Road Sprinkler Fitters Local 669
Rock Falls City Council
Rock Island County Board
Rockford City Council
Rockton Mayor Dale Adams
Roofers Local 11
Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce
Sheet Metal Workers Local 91
Sheet Metal Workers Local 219
Stephenson County Board
Stockton Village
Teamsters Local 325
Thomson Village Board of Trustees
Tri-City Building Trades
Tri-County Economic Development Alliance
Western Illinois University
Whiteside County Board
Whiteside County Economic Development & Enterprise Zone
Supportive Editorials
Bloomington Pantagraph, Editorial: Sell Prison to Feds to Hold Gitmo Detainees (Nov. 17)
Chicago Tribune, Editorial: Take a Deep Breath (Dec. 16)
Chicago Tribune, Editorial: Gitmo, Illinois (Nov. 17)
Chicago Sun Times, Editorial: Quinn right to back Thomson (Dec. 16)
Chicago Sun Times, Editorial: Don't Let Fear Decide Fate of Gitmo Inmates (Nov. 17)
Daily Herald, Editorial: Get Politics Out of Prison Discussion (Nov. 18)
Decatur Herald & Review, Editorial: Prison Sale Doesn't Deserve Fear Mongering (Dec. 20)
Decatur Herald & Review, Editorial: State Should Sell Thomson Prison (Nov. 17)
Dispatch/Rock Island Argus, Editorial: Yes to Federal Prisoners (Nov. 16)
Freeport Journal-Standard, Editorial: Playing Politics with Thomson (Nov. 17)
Jacksonville Journal-Courier, Editorial: Transfer of Terror Suspects Holds Potential Benefits (Nov. 19)
Mattoon Journal Gazette/Charleston Times-Courier, Editorial: Thomson prison deal is a boost for Illinois (Dec. 23)
Mattoon Journal Gazette/Charleston Times-Courier, Editorial: Let Thomson House Gitmo Prisoners (Nov. 24)
Peoria Journal-Star, Editorial: Giving Thomson a Use, at Long Last (Nov. 18)
Rockford Register Star, Editorial: Thomson Plan Worthy of Support, Not Risky for Area (Dec. 17)
Rockford Register Star, Editorial: It Makes Sense for Thomson to House Gitmo Prisoners (Nov. 16)
Sauk Valley Newspapers, Editorial: Positives Outweigh Negatives for Thomson (Nov. 21)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Editorial: Scare Mongering About Trials, Prison is Cynical Partisanship (Nov. 17)
State Journal-Register, Editorial: Closing Guantanamo Right Thing to Do (Dec. 20)
State Journal-Register, Editorial: Hysteria Over Thomson Idea Way Off Base (Nov. 18)
Quad City Times, Editorial: Facts Make Strong Case for Thomson: Let Feds Do What Illinois Would Not (Nov. 29)
Quad City Times, Editorial: Three Questions for Thomson (Nov. 17)
Quincy Herald-Whig, Editorial: Using Federal Prison Again Makes Sense (Nov. 28)
Supportive Columns and Others
Chicago Tribune, Steve Chapman, Terrorists in the Heartland? Chill (Dec. 17)
Chicago Tribune, Eric Zorn, GOP Now the Party of "Noooooooooo!" (Nov. 20)
Chicago Tribune, Steve Chapman, Gitmo Prisoners? Bring 'Em On (Nov. 16)
Crain's Chicago Business, Greg Hinz, Lots of GOP Hot Air in "Illinois Gitmo" Debate (Nov. 16)
Daily Herald, Editorial: Get Politics Out of Prison Discussion (Nov. 18)
Galesburg Register-Mail, Roundtable: Bring Gitmo Prisoners to Illinois? (Nov. 22)
Rockford Register Star, Chuck Sweeny, Manzullo Wrong about Thomson Prison Threat (Nov. 20)
Southtown Star, Phil Kadner, High Noon in Illinois, and GOP wants to run (Dec. 17)
Southtown Star, Phil Kadner, Illinois Can Handle Gitmo Detainees (Nov. 18)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pat Gauen, What's All the Fuss about Holding Terrorist Detainees in Illinois? (Nov. 19)
Letter from prominent conservatives David Keene, Grover Norquist, Bob Barr, Philip Giraldi, Doug Bandow, Michael Ostrolenk, and John Whitehead
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