For the second time in as many weeks, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is losing a top aide.
Michael Randle, the state prisons chief, will resign his office to "pursue a new opportunity."
"I have accepted the resignation of Illinois Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle, effective September 17," Quinn said in an e-mailed statement. "I appreciate Director Randle’s dedicated service to the state of Illinois during these challenging times."
Last year, Randle took the blame for a controversial prisoner early release program designed to cut costs. The program ended up releasing some convicts before their rehabilitation needs were assessed, leaving some to commit more crimes. Governor Quinn halted the program in December 2009.
Quinn said Thursday that he didn't ask Randle to resign, but said that a replacement would be named soon.
"We will march on," Quinn said.
Last month, Quinn's chief of staff Jerry Stermer, resigned over an ethics flap concerning three "politically oriented" emails sent from his state-issued account.
Stermer, 67, allegedly used his government email to correspond with various parties on behalf of Quinn's reelection campaign and says he resigned mainly because he didn't want his errors to overshadow the upcoming election.
