Summary
FOIA request submitted to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office seeking communications between the Attorney General’s Office and six identified members of the Governor’s Office concerning (1) the criminal prosecution of Jenny Thornley, (2) the qui tam whistleblower lawsuit People ex rel. Fox v. State of Illinois, and (3) prosecutorial decisions related to workers’ compensation fraud.
The request seeks communications regarding charging decisions, plea negotiations, sentencing recommendations, restitution determinations, litigation strategy, dismissal decisions, cost-benefit analysis referenced in court filings, and related prosecutorial discretion matters.
The request was formally narrowed to six specified Governor’s Office officials and three defined subject areas for the period January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2025
The request seeks communications regarding charging decisions, plea negotiations, sentencing recommendations, restitution determinations, litigation strategy, dismissal decisions, cost-benefit analysis referenced in court filings, and related prosecutorial discretion matters.
The request was formally narrowed to six specified Governor’s Office officials and three defined subject areas for the period January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2025
Procedural History & Updates
- January 20, 2026 – Narrowed FOIA Request Sent
- January 27, 2026 – Attorney General’s Office issued five-business-day extension pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/3(e)(iv) and confirmed that the narrowed request was opened as new FOIA matters with new tracking numbers and receipt date of January 20, 2026
- February 3, 2026 – Attorney General’s Office issued partial response stating no responsive communications were located involving Governor J.B. Pritzker and advising that email search results for other named officials are under review; further response anticipated by February 10, 2026
- February 10, 2026 – Attorney General’s Office issued final response stating no responsive records were located following completion of its IT search for communications with the six named Governor’s Office officials