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This development has been expected for a while now.
Long-time Rock Island County Democratic party leader John Gianulis will retire from his position in Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration to focus entirely on his duties with the county organization.Mr. Gianulis, who was considered instrumental in electing Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2002, informed the governor Monday that he would retire as deputy director of intergovernmental relations and personnel effective Sept. 30.
He said his retirement is not linked to a federal investigation of the governor’s administration. Mr. Gianulis was questioned by attorneys for the Illinois Inspector General earlier this year, before the investigation into Gov. Blagojevich’s hiring practices was taken over by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago.
The grind of heading the county Democratic party and working in Springfield, and traveling between the Quad-Cities and the capital, was too much, he said.
I don’t doubt that. But resigning in the middle of a _storm will always raise more questions than can be answered.
Also, as a commenter just pointed out, the governor’s office didn’t comment on John G’s retirement.
The reason I highlighted that last point is because I had heard his retirement party is at the governor’s mansion.
…And here’s the statement from the guv’s office:
John began in state government in 1961, left in 1981 and returned in January 2003. He’s had a long career that he can be proud of and we wish him nothing but the best.
I’ll bet he does.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:04 pm
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Abandon ship! Abandon Ship! It looks like a $1500 birthday/christening/ramadan/hanukah/christmas/festivas/kwanzaa/baptism/first communion/college fund gift may have sunk the gov’s re-election bid.
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:11 pm
Might this be the first of many deserting the ship called Blagojevich?
It’s all coming to a head and many will want to distance themselves from the governor lest they get dragged off to prison along with him. I’m sure we’ll see more defections from the ranks.
Comment by Sound Reasoning Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:15 pm
The rats are jumping from the Titanic.Got bad news unless they cut a deal they still can be indicted.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:20 pm
Are the flood gates starting to open? I wonder how many will jump ship with damaging information. You know, the kind of information they can share with the Fed’s in order to try to save their own behinds.
Comment by Buck Flagojevich Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:27 pm
John G is a good man who has served the party and the public with loyalty and devotion. I wish him the best as he directs his energy and talent to the QC area which will allow him to spend more time with his lovely wife, Mary Jane.
Comment by values matter Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:31 pm
If you go to the party, ask John G which candidate is going to win the election. John is rarely wrong. He has been amazingly accurate on some of his number predictions.
He’s not bailing, he’s making room for someone else.
Comment by B Hicks Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:48 pm
What is John G, 81 or 82? It seems like a lot of devotion to continue in public service for that long. Hardly “jumping ship.”
Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:56 pm
John G. was clearly old school. When the story is told how they operated the patronage shop, it may shock us all. Defraties has the goods on John G & BLAGO.
When is the Civil Service Commission expected to rule on Defraties case? Has blago’s babysitter recused herself from the case yet?
Comment by larry Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:56 pm
Give the guy a break. He’s 83 years old and has had some health problems. You can only do so much and anyone who knows him will know that he will be working full-time on the upcoming elections. You know he wouldn’t opt to stay out of the elections and it would be tough to be working a full-time job a couple of hours from your political operation and not get in trouble for that. Even without Blago’s troubles it would have been wise to bow out with the election coming up.
Comment by anon Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:57 pm
I find it interesting, as the QC times reports,
The Governors Office is “not commenting” on his retirement.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 3:03 pm
Although I think it’s interesting timing him leaving now, with the race in full swing in the QC, I’m not sure what to think. His age never stopped him from doing anything before. It could be he feels the pressure mounting around him because of what’s going on with the many investigations, but it could be he does want to help with things in the QC area. Even where I’m at, he’s well known for helping out. I’ve gotta do a coin flip here.
Comment by Tessa Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 3:08 pm
Good luck, Johnnie!
Comment by Bill Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 3:22 pm
Nobody leaves with an election so close unless they are very ill or fed up (get the pun)
Comment by Garp Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 3:27 pm
Don’t say I know much about the man but the timing of this sure looks like quite another coinckideenk.
Comment by Walking Wounded Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 3:36 pm
Something’s up, because if you know it looks bad that you are retiring, then wouldn’t you wait until your man got elected again and THEN step down? Lookin’ not too good, folks. Are Dems really going to leave the house and then go, “Oh, I voted for Rod Blagojevich, the man in the middle of all the investigations. Yep. That’s me!” ??
People must just not care as long as it is their party that is in power WHEN the investigations are humming along, I suppose. How embarrassing.
Comment by Angie Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 3:49 pm
HATE TO SEE JOHN G LEAVE. I KNOW HE DOES HAVE A PERFECT RIGHT TO SOME “TIME ON HIS OWN” AND I CERTAINLY WISH HIM GOD SPEED. WHAT CAUSES ME TO PAUSE IS THE TIMING. WHO KNOWS? GOOD LUCK, JOHN. A JOB WELL DONE.
Comment by HUMPS Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 4:01 pm
Less than two months to go before the election and he bails? Hmmm. Curious.
Comment by Buck Flagojevich Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 4:08 pm
But regardless of his good qualities, how good a job did he do if Blago is having all these problems. Either he was naive after having been out of state govt for a long time, was too weak to do resist Blago and Lon and do the patronage thing right (as I keep reminding everyone, patronage is LEGAL in state govt for 3500 positions–it’s a matter of finding the right 3500 connected players to put in them), or he got caught and is bailing out. Or all three. Being investigated by the feds in your eighties can’t be fun and could cost considerable cash from the retirement fund. Maybe Big Jim could help…it is the bipartisan combine after all.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 4:43 pm
Hardly the first to leave. See Susan Lichtenstein, Tom Londrigan, and several other lawyers. When the lawyers bail, you know it’s bad. Add Z. Scott (former inspector general) to that list. And Julie Curry, former high ranking official who has plenty of goods. All of those may have got out in time. John didn’t get out in time. He’s just getting out.
Comment by Truth Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 4:58 pm
Oh for goodness sake, why don’t you all shut up. John Giannulis isn’t “bailing,” He said he was retiring from his state job to work full time as a Democratic County Chairman. I can hear the screams if he didn’t leave the state job and was “caught” doing something political. Give the guy a break. Do you repubs get daily crib sheets or do you all just come up with the same points to carp about.
Comment by Crow Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 5:18 pm
Maybe he bailed because Stuart Levine is about to plead guilty? (sound of Jaws theme begins)
I’m a moderate conserv. here (more libertarian leaning), so I’m just lovin’ this. We’ve got my fave contender for the 2008 POTUS spot backing Judy, and at the same time, the you-know-what is hitting the fan big time for Rod. Good!
Don’t know what the GOP was thinking by running Alan Keyes in the past, but I’m glad they’ve got it figured out that running a balanced GOP ticket, with a moderate and someone a little more conservative, is SMART for Illinois.
Bye bye Rod. See you at your speech where you congratulate your opponent for kicking your tailfeathers.
Now, if someone could just figure out how to pre-screen law school applicants to weed out those who will throw away 3 years of hard work in law school over greed, like in the Levine case. What a waste. Hey folks, there are lots of people who can work within the law who would like to get those coveted spots in the top law schools. Do you creeps and snakes think you could step aside and not clog up the application pool if you’re just going to blow it all later on? They get busted in the end, so they are nothing more than brilliant morons. Good riddance.
Comment by Angie Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 9:25 pm
These accolades are sickening. Most people despise John. He is known for not keeping his word and “forgetfulness”, nee senility (?). He should be investigated for his role in hiring people (union positions) in this administration. John was the “go to guy” as well as Cini for a job. I hope he gets his too. Throw him under the train also.
Comment by Criminal Enterprise Called Illinois Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 11:59 pm
Jumping ship & a guy with his credentials leaving this close to elections ….Hmmmmm…..what’s 5 more weeks ? Not much “fan-fair” on his departure. Wants to get off the ship quick as it’s listing a bit Arrrrrrrrr
Comment by annon Saturday, Sep 23, 06 @ 3:20 am
Truth wrote “when the lawyers bail, you know it’s bad.”
Indeed! All of the ones who don’t want to throw 3 years of hard work in law school down the drain bail out while leaving the corrupt ones to continue to try to spin their way out of the mess until the bitter end.
I’m no expert, but if someone brought in jury selection expert Jo-Ellan Demetrius to look at Rod’s body language during that “check” centered press conference, what do you suppose she’d say about it? Pray tell?
Comment by Angie Saturday, Sep 23, 06 @ 7:21 pm
John will ride off into the sunset and spend his time like a lot of others his age: propped in front of a tv or playing cards, and lose interest in politics. And why not? Most people his age lose interest and just resign themselves to groaning how “they’re all a bunch of crooks”. John should follow suit. For he knows that at last the time has come to get out that rocking chair and enjoy his golden years. He has earned it.
Who can forget John’s one dynamic term as RI County Clerk in the 1980s? He ushered us into the era of computerized voting glitches a long time before the rest of the world. Had he not been soundly defeated by the then-unknown Dick Liebovitz, I am confident that today, John would still be leading RI County into the 20th century. John could have walked away from it then, but he did not. Now thanks to his almost single handed efforts, we have a 10,000 vote plurality and a 100% Democratic slate, everyone of whom is top notch!… from governor all the way down to dogcatcher. Republicans in RI County and everywhere else have been driven to extinction, in no small part due to John.
One cannot deny John’s political savvy, and his courage is unsurpassed. When Denny Jacobs, a man whom John hated for decades retired, John sent shockwaves through the whole political establishment when he annointed Mike Jacobs, Denny’s son as his successor. John knew that in doing so, he was reaching into the next generation of Democrats by cementing the factions together and unifying the party.
Happy Trails, big guy. And don’t worry about these silly hiring scandals and shakedowns. We’ve seen it a thousand times before and it’s all gonna blow over the way in always does.
Onward to VICTORY!!! Blago for President!
Comment by Fonebone Sunday, Sep 24, 06 @ 3:08 pm