CHICAGO (AP) – An Illinois legislative panel is considering suspending part of its investigation into Gov. Pat Quinn’s troubled anti-violence program after it received a request to do so from U.S. Department of Justice attorneys.

State Sen. Jason Barickman is co-chair of the Legislative Audit Commission. The Bloomington Republican issued a statement Wednesday saying the commission should consider a federal request made Wednesday to suspend interviews of those connected to the $54.5 million Neighborhood Recovery Initiative for 90 days.

The request comes after federal subpoenas were issued for emails of top officials involved in the program. Some of those same officials were also subpoenaed by the audit commission.

Barickman says the commission doesn’t want to “compromise the integrity of their (federal) criminal investigation.”

The commission is to meet about their work next week.

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