Free Republic

Federal government to buy closed Ill. prison for $165M, vows will not house Gitmo detainees Article by: SOPHIA TAREEN , Associated Press Updated: October 2, 2012 - 1:23 PM CHICAGO - The federal government has agreed to buy the closed Thomson Correctional Center in western Illinois for $165 million after the sale was held up for three years, state leaders announced Tuesday. Many Illinois leaders — including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. Pat Quinn who spoke to The Associated Press ahead of a news conference to announce the sale — supported the purchase because they said it would bring...

SPRINGFIELD — The Obama administration and Gov. Pat Quinn have mapped out an end-run around the GOP that will enable the state to unload the long-mothballed Thomson Correctional Center for $165 million, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s office confirmed Tuesday.

Illinois Republicans were successful Friday in stripping a provision from a House defense bill that would have given permission for the transfer to the U.S. of detainees in the Guantanamo Bay military prison. The issue is of special importance to Illinois GOP lawmakers because earlier this year the Obama administration moved to buy an underutilized state prison in Thomson, Ill., in part to house Guantanamo detainees. Closing Guantanamo was a central Obama pledge that the president has not been able to keep — a promise made during his campaign and on his first day in office. Congress needs to give...

Thomson prison: Illinois attorney general rules Gov. Pat Quinn can sell Thomson prisonIllinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Thursday that Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn has the authority to sell the state prison that the federal government wants to use for terrorist suspects now at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The legal opinion by the Democratic chief legal officer swept aside Republican questions on whether state law required lawmakers to sign off before the barely used Thomson Correctional Center in northwestern Illinois could be sold. Madigan wrote that state law provides the governor with the necessary authority to close and sell the prison...