Quinn says he’ll act on legislative scholarships

A legislative scholarship program that’s had “a cloud of scandal around it” should be abolished, Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday.

Quinn didn’t comment directly on a federal investigation touching on the program when asked about it by reporters after a news conference on another topic.

The governor repeated his position that the university-funded scholarships handed out by state lawmakers should end.

He said he’ll take action by the end of the week on a bill that would set some limits on the program. The bill “doesn’t abolish the program and that’s really what I think we have to do,” Quinn said, without saying whether he’ll veto the bill or use an amendatory veto to change it.

Quinn said he supports college scholarships based on need and merit, rather than scholarships handed out by lawmakers.

“Having a program that’s had a cloud of scandal around it for decades is not the way to do that,” Quinn said.

Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed records regarding scholarships that former state legislator Robert Molaro granted to a supporter’s children, according to copies of two subpoenas obtained by The Associated Press.

A phone message left by the AP for Molaro, who is now a lobbyist, wasn’t immediately returned. He previously told the Chicago Sun-Times that there was nothing wrong with the scholarships he awarded.

An April 26 subpoena to the Illinois State Board of Education from U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald seeks application forms, nomination forms and other documents related to legislative scholarships granted to four children of a Molaro campaign donor.

A July 20 subpoena to the board of education asks for “all documents relating to the Illinois General Assembly Legislative Scholarships nominated/issued” from Molaro.

The Chicago Tribune reported last year that the Molaro supporter’s four children may not have been eligible for the scholarships because of questions about whether they lived in Molaro’s district.