Illinois Governor Faces New Questions About Hate Panel

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/03/033006ilGov.htm

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's hate crimes commission was thrust back into the spotlight Wednesday, renewing questions about his handling of the sensitive issue and his promise to help ease tensions among black, gay and Jewish communities.

But aides had little to say about the governor's progress.

"We've had a number of meetings with different groups and individuals," said Abby Ottenhoff, the governor's spokeswoman. "It's happened at the governor's level as well as the staff level and took place as recently as yesterday."

Meanwhile, the commission member whose appointment has sparked heated debate, Sister Claudette Muhammad, scolded the governor for saying he did not know her or realize she was an official in the Nation of Islam before appointing her to the anti-discrimination panel.