A state legislator wants to fast-track hearings on the possible sale of a northwestern Illinois prison to the U.S. government so federal authorities could eventually use the complex to house Guantanamo Bay detainees.

State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg, who co-chairs a panel that reviews state facility closings before any sale, said he’ll act “with all deliberate speed” and try to launch hearings on the Thomson Correctional Center by the end of December.

“The area’s desperate for jobs, and this would appear to be a responsible way to boost the local economy,” said the Evanston Democrat, echoing other proponents of the sale, including Gov. Quinn.

Read more at the Chicago Sun Times

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