* AP…
A former U.S. attorney and legal counsel to former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar has been named acting Illinois legislative inspector general.
The Legislative Ethics Commission announced in a statement received Tuesday that J. William Roberts of Springfield took over in an acting capacity on Tuesday.
In addition to his tenure as counsel to Edgar and U.S. attorney for the central district of Illinois, he also was Sangamon County State’s Attorney.
Roberts represented House Speaker Michael Madigan during a US Attorney probe of his staff. He replaces Tom Homer, a former House Democrat.
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 9:51 am:
Per Peter Fitzgerald: you need to bring in an outsider if you want serious reform. (Which reminds me, Zach Fardon was appointed back in October - at some point we can start making comparisons to Patrick Fitzgerald).
- blah - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 10:02 am:
He has also represented plenty of Republicans. Bill is a good guy and I think he will do a good job. I would imagine there aren’t many people who want to take on this type of job.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 11:15 am:
Not very often that you see a former U.S. attorney take a staff job. Jim Burns is the only other one who comes to mind.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 11:18 am:
Homer was a nice guy and respected by the legislators. I want an ambitious guy with some cajones. I’ll withhold judgment on the new guy but give me more David Hoffman and less of Hoffman’s utterly forgettable predecessor (I can’t remember his name).
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 11:19 am:
And Word, Burns took the job because he really didn’t like the rainmaking and hard work during his brief Sidley tenure. I hope that’s not what’s going on here.
- Knome Sane - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 11:25 am:
=Burns took the job because he really didn’t like the rainmaking and hard work during his brief Sidley tenure. I hope that’s not what’s going on here.=
Cynic, you really have no idea who Bill Roberts is, do you? He has been the Managing Partner of Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm for some time. He is a man of unimpeachable honor and integrity.
It seems to me your “hoping” is more like “guessing”.
- anon - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 12:15 pm:
Cinic, you want another guy like Hoffman and Meza? Someone to spend millions of taxpayer dollars hunting down people who eat lunch at their desk and watch porn during state hours. Oh, and don’t forget someone with the ability to rewrite Auditor General reports or Tribune stories.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 2:29 pm:
Bill is a great pick. He has the perfect demanor for something like this.
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Jul 2, 14 @ 4:58 pm:
Yes Knome Sane, I don’t have experience with him so I “hope” he will be aggressive in his job. And no anon 1215, Hoffman is not remotely the same as Meza. I don’t want someone to “nail” people for eating lunch at their desks, but that’s not what Hoffman did…ever. As I said, more Hoffman and less whatevertheheckthenameofhispredecessor.
And one last thing, being Managing Partner of a large law firm is not a relevant credential. It’s a job often inhabited by people very comfortable being cozy with powerful. For an Inspector General, you’re better off with someone uncomfortable getting too cozy.