by Tony Peraica

The Chicago media this week is a-flutter about news that now-Congressman Mike Quigley has called for an investigation of the misuse of funds for the troubled “Project Shield” homeland security program.

It’s about time.

I have been calling for such an investigation for years.

Mark Suppelsa (who was then at Fox Chicago News) had this great story from August 2007 (also embedded at the end of this post) about the massive problems with the Project Shield program.  After that story, I called for a federal investigation with formal request letters to every member of the Cook County congressional delegation.

Not a single member of Congress (or fellow commissioner) acted.

Then we had this May 2008 Crain’s Chicago Business story in which I am quoted about the many problems with the program.

Then there’s this CBS 2 Chicago story from November 2008 in which I’m quoted as saying:

“It’s very much a program that’s fraught with individuals who have taken advantage of the unregulated pot of cash.”

I proposed a measure to cut off funding to this troubled project.  My fellow commissioners did not support it.

Our efforts to get numerous Freedom of Information Act requests on the project were rebuffed.

Better late than never.  I hope now that this misuse of tax dollars — dollars that are meant to protect our citizens from a terrorist attack — is fully investigated.

The taxpayers deserved a full investigation years ago when we first brought this issue to light.  How much of their money has been wasted since that time?

Please watch the August 2007 Fox Chicago News report below: