02/27/2014
Brendan Bond
Staff Writer
Land of Lincoln Lowdown
Arthur Bishop, Chicago Tribune
Arthur Bishop’s tenure as the head of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) did not last long at all. Appointed just last month by Gov. Pat Quinn, Bishop ended a controversial tenure with a letter of resignation that goes into effect on Friday, Feb. 28.
From the Chicago Tribune:
But, within weeks of the appointment, Bishop’s administration was dogged by controversy over revelations that he pleaded guilty in 1995 to misdemeanor theft for misusing money meant for patients at the Bobby E. Wright Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center. Bishop also has been involved in a paternity case since 2003, according to court records.
In a letter to Quinn, Bishop, 61, alleged the governor’s political rivals were behind the controversy.
“I am aware that we are in the midst of a contested election, and that my documented accomplishments, dedication, and almost 20 years of exemplary work are in this environment, simply irrelevant,” he wrote in a letter to Quinn, obtained by the Chicago Tribune.
“While your political rivals may be willing to attack me in an effort to obtain some modicum of political advantage, I cannot agree to be used as a distraction to the real issues that face the State and the children that remain in State custody.”
This appointment was not the first controversial appointment of Bishop by Quinn. Quinn selected Bishop to be the head of state’s juvenile justice department.
More from the Tribune:
Bishop’s 2010 appointment also was controversial because he lacked a corrections or juvenile justice background, but Quinn then defended his pick, arguing the department was moving in a new direction that focused more on rehabilitation. Facing the most recent criticism, Quinn again defended his pick.
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Brendan Bond is an editorial assistant at Reboot Illinois. He is a graduate of Loyola University, where he majored in journalism. Brendan takes a look each day at the Land of Lincoln Lowdown and it’s often pretty low. He examines the property tax rates that drive Illinoisans insane. You can find Reboot on Facebook at and on Twitter @rebootillinois. His email is Brendan.Bond@rebootillinois.com.