Jeanne Ives, former Illinois state representative, said on X that Chicago Tribune’s newly named managing editor, Stacy St. Clair, “stole” reporting on the College of DuPage from earlier FOIA work by Edgar County Watchdogs, which later received award recognition.
“St.Clair basically stole the information the Edgar County Watchdogs had already FOIAd about the College of DuPage scandals,” said Jeanne M Ives. “She and her co-writer then secondarily FOIAd after ECW gave them a roadmap to the fraud. then they won a writing prize for their work. They would have been clueless without the Watchdogs work.”
The controversy centers around reporting on governance and oversight issues at the College of DuPage during the mid-2010s. According to Inside Higher Ed, the college became a focal point for scrutiny due to conflicts involving trustees, executive leadership, and institutional decision-making. This situation increased demand for public-records access and drew sustained attention from journalists and transparency advocates monitoring how major community colleges manage operations and public funds.
In one significant FOIA dispute, transparency advocates associated with Edgar County Watchdogs filed legal action alleging that the College of DuPage mishandled multiple Illinois FOIA requests. The claims included withholding public records and problematic response practices. This case highlighted how FOIA compliance issues can be central in uncovering documentation related to public institutions and their operations.
Litigation involving former College of DuPage president Robert Breuder resulted in substantial legal costs over time. Reporting citing court documents indicated that the college’s insurance consortium paid $9 million in legal fees related to the matter. The magnitude of these costs underscores why records, contracts, and legal filings surrounding leadership disputes at large public colleges can become significant accountability issues for taxpayers and students.
Ives is a Republican who served three terms in the Illinois House (District 42) and previously held an officer position in the U.S. Army. Her public biography highlights her West Point education and military leadership roles prior to her elected office.
