CHICAGO (AP) — A published report is raising questions about the role of politics in Gov. Pat Quinn’s scandal-plagued anti-violence program that’s under federal investigation.

The Chicago Sun-Times cites email correspondence in a story published Wednesday that appears to show that a suburban Chicago mayoral race factored into determining funding that went to service providers.

Quinn started the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative in 2010 to help curb neighborhood violence. Earlier this year, state auditors detailed problems with mismanagement and misspending. Critics have claimed it was a political slush fund. Quinn dismisses that claim and says he addressed problems.

The now-defunct program is under investigation by Cook County and federal authorities as well as a legislative panel. The newspaper cites over 2,000 emails the Quinn administration turned over to the Legislative Audit Commission.

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