GOP views on Thomson prison

SPRINGFIELD – Most of the Republicans running for governor oppose selling a little-used new state prison in remote northwestern Illinois to the federal government, a move that could bring 100 terrorist detainees to the facility.

“I think al-Qaida terrorists ought to stay in Cuba,” said state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale during a debate among GOP hopefuls Monday night. He called the potential move a “pathetic” example of how desperate the Democrat-run state is for money.

Others said the modern, maximum-security prison is needed to house Illinois inmates to reduce overcrowding and staff overtime at other state prison. The more than $120 million prison in Thomson was finished in 2001, but a dwindling state economy and state budget has prevented it from fully opening because the state can’t afford to staff it.

Gov. Pat Quinn is on his way to Washington, D.C. Tuesday to be briefed by the Obama administration on the federal government’s plan to buy the prison to house terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay in one wing while the rest would function as a federal prison.

Hinsdale businessman Adam Andrzejewski, Bloomington state Sen. Bill Brady, conservative commentator Dan Proft of Chicago, and former state Attorney General Jim Ryan of Elmhurst all said they opposed a federal sale.

“I think it's a very bad idea to bring the mastermind of 9-11 to Thomson,” said Ryan. “I have no doubt we can keep him there and he'll never get out. But no one can tell me there's no risk.”

Only DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom remained open to the idea even as he said it highlights the state economic desperation.

“If the federal government is talking about creating 3,000 jobs we ought to at least listen to it and not make decisions on what's in the newspaper,” Schillerstrom said.