Illinois attorney general launches civil rights inquiry into bus company

The Chicago Tribune reports:

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office is investigating a bus company that serves University of Illinois students for potential civil rights violations, the latest fallout in response to the company’s racially tinged weekend ad that disparaged Chinese students and the university’s admissions policies.

Madigan’s office announced Monday it had issued a subpoena for Suburban Express, a bus company based in Champaign that provides shuttle service from various universities to O’Hare International Airport and Chicago-area suburbs.

The office is investigating whether the company’s policies and practices violate the Illinois Human Rights Act, a probe based upon the weekend email promotion that boasted “you won’t feel like you’re in China when you’re on our buses,” according to the statement. Madigan is seeking documents, records and other information from the company to evaluate its business operations.

Suburban Express has 30 days to comply with the subpoena, according to a statement from Madigan’s office.

One interesting 1st Amendment case.