By JIM TALAMONTI
Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — Republican state senators are calling for the removal of the acting director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
The Illinois Senate Executive Appointments Committee met Thursday and advanced the appointment of DOC Acting Director Latoya Hughes to the full Senate by a vote of 4-2.
State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, asked Hughes if the department had implemented mail scanning to keep staff and inmates from being harmed by incoming synthetic drugs.
“One, we’re in conversations with our union partners related specifically to your question, related to mail and mail scanning. We are working with them on a comprehensive approach,” Hughes said.
Hughes could not answer a question about the number of inmate deaths at DOC facilities this year. She said there were seven deaths due to drug overdoses or exposures at DOC facilities in 2024.
At a press conference later in the day, Plummer said Hughes was never qualified to hold the job.
“This isn’t just a Latoya Hughes problem. I want to be clear about that. This is a J.B. Pritzker management failure. It’s another Governor Pritzker management failure,” Plummer said.
State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, joined Plummer at the press conference and said mail continues to be a gateway for dangerous contraband. She also cited recent deaths at Pinckneyville Correctional Center in Pinckneyville and Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg.
Plummer said lockdowns have not been taking place as they did previously. He said corrections workers are in danger because of failed leadership.
“It’s only time before something tragic happens. Staff assaults are through the roof. We’re just lucky someone hasn’t died. The governor needs to change course real fast or it’s gonna happen. I don’t know how much more of a red light we can shoot off than this,” Plummer said.
During the Senate Executive Appointments Committee meeting, Plummer told Hughes he had due process concerns about facilities which have been closed for several years, while inmates from those facilities moved north.
“If there is a time that the department determines that we are not going to reopen those facilities or those locations, then we would indeed engage in that process to ensure that we are complying with the law, but we continue to talk to our union partners, so there’s been no permanent determination made at this time,” Hughes responded.
The acting director repeated several times during the hearing that the Department was in conversations with union partners.
State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, expressed concerns about inmates who committed violent crimes being released before they should be released. Hughes said she would get back to McClure with information about specific cases.
Plummer was asked where his Democratic colleagues stood on the issue of Pritzker’s nomination of Hughes as DOC director.
“I believe the reason why Director Hughes is an acting director and is not a confirmed director is, one, they’re concerned about taking her nomination to the floor because I think some of our Democratic colleagues object to it,” Plummer said.
Plummer reflected on issues with Pritzker appointments to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
“I think the other thing to bear in mind, just like with the Prisoner Review Board, once those people were confirmed, they had their salary. They had their job, and they were kind of away from the governor’s office. By keeping them in these acting positions where he controls whether or not they stay in that position, my question would be, who does the director work for? Does she work for the people of the Illinois and does she work for the staff at the facilities? Or is she working for the governor and his political priorities?” Plummer continued.
How long Hughes has been acting director is telling, Plummer said.
“I think the fact that she’s been the acting director for as long as she has been and they’re not moving her to the floor says a lot about what the Democrats really think about this nomination,” Plummer concluded.
Hughes’ salary is $220,500 per year.
