Giannoulias defends using college fund to buy SUV

Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is defending the decision to use money from a state college savings program to buy a $26,000 government vehicle.

Giannoulias told reporters Monday that the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid is a reasonable operating expense because it's used by marketers who work to bring people into the college savings program.

Public records show Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias used money earned by a state college savings program to purchase a $26,000 government vehicle.

Giannoulias used the state's Bright Start fund to pay for the SUV. The treasurer's office offers the program to allow families to save money for college. The program's investments lost $85 million last year.

Giannoulias spokesman Scott Burnham says the treasurer doesn't exclusively drive the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid. Burnham didn't say how often the SUV was used specifically for Bright Start-related travel.

Burnham says the funds used to buy the vehicle came from a fee paid to the treasurer's office by an investment firm that manages the fund, not taxpayer money.