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Revelations appear to back up corruption claims

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We don’t have both sides here yet, and I would expect that the defendants, as defendants do, are putting their best argument forward. The idea here is to make the other side look as nefarious as possible.

Still, this story is very troubling and underscores what some of us have been saying for months.

The Associated Press has posted the e-mails in question, which you can read by clicking here [pdf file].

Here is part of the Sun-Times’ take:

Two former state officials accused by Gov. Blagojevich’s administration of misconduct unleashed a barrage of documents Wednesday that they say show the governor’s office repeatedly steered state jobs to favored applicants.

In one instance, an aide to Blagojevich’s intergovernmental affairs chief demanded that personnel employees “find out what it will take” to help a Blagojevich donor pass an exam for a job for which he lacked qualifications.

And in some cases, Blagojevich appeared to take an interest in helping place people in middle- and upper-management posts, including one applicant who had received suspensions when he previously had worked for the state.

The AP:

The documents were filed with the Civil Service Commission by Dawn DeFraties and Michael Casey, who are trying to get their jobs back after Blagojevich fired them in April, claiming they manipulated hiring procedures to favor politically connected applicants.

Dawn DeFraties was personnel director at the Department of Central Management Services, the state’s hiring agency. Casey was her assistant. A hearing on the charges before an administrative law judge begins next week.

The pair claim they were blocked in their attempt to create an electronic hiring system to take subjectivity out of the process, and that the so-called “special applications'’ they’re accused of favoring emanated from Blagojevich’s office.

“They conveniently left out the governor’s office involvement in all of these charges and we’ll be getting into this,'’ said the pair’s attorney, Carl Draper.

Copley:

Draper has said DeFraties and Casey are being made scapegoats by the administration, which is under federal investigation because of its hiring practices. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has said his office is investigating “very serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud” in state government.

Draper said members of Blagojevich’s inner circle were the ones who wanted favored treatment for politically connected job applicants.

The Tribune:

A review of more than five dozen of the e-mails disclosed Wednesday identify 37 individuals who were seeking jobs in the early years of the Blagojevich administration. A review of state hiring records shows that 15 got state jobs. All of those who got jobs were named on a previous list of those who had political sponsors or were given special treatment in the state hiring process.

The other 22, including some whose political sponsors were identified in the e-mails, were never hired, records show. […]

Also in August of 2003, Casey wrote an e-mail to Blagojevich’s patronage office, questioning a push for an applicant named Ralph Caro, who was recommended for a state job by the director of what was then the state Department of Professional Regulation. […]

But Casey responded that Caro had “no credible experience or related degree” for the positions for which he was being considered. State records showed Caro contributed $1,000 to the governor’s campaign fund, including $500 within days of the e-mail exchange. .

Connecting a campaign contribution, however small, to state hiring is bad news indeed for the governor. But, again, as the governor’s office said yesterday, we’re only seeing one side so far.

The AP also has a summary of a few e-mails.

* When told by colleagues on Oct. 12, 2004 of a job applicant who claimed he had been promised a job by the governor, DeFraties responded, “Politics are not my bag here. I have no knowledge of this individual nor do I care what he may or may not have been promised. Please proceed as you would with any individual.” […]

* When DeFraties informed Cini aide Laura Casper on May 15, 2003 that two applicants were rejected as too inexperienced, Casper responded that officials would then ask the hiring agency to declare the positions “exempt” from the rules. […]

* One allegation against the pair is that they put favored application into an online database for consideration ahead of others. But Casey wrote to a colleague on Oct. 22, 2004, asking why some applications had been marked “rush.” He was told that the employee in question had forgotten about the rule against doing that and was sorry.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 8:17 am

Comments

  1. Before we all jump to any conclusions - I think we need to wait to hear what Ms. Nix has to say about all this.

    Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 8:36 am

  2. I’m pretty sure that the defendants are much closer to speaking the truth of the matter than Ms. Nix (The Doctor of Spin)…

    Comment by Just Wonderin' Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 8:40 am

  3. I think the evidence speaks for itself.

    Comment by Tony Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 8:57 am

  4. Now, we all know that Blago, like all Illinois Demcorats,is a patronage hound who wants to remake state civil service in the image of City of Chicago civil service. Soon, he will likely be asking the court to release the state from Rutan (as Daley has re Shakman) because there is no more hiring corruption.

    Having said that, I would point out that 22 of the 37 did NOT get jobs, apparently. And changing a position to “exempt” in order to hire a particular candidate has been going on in state civil service since Hector was a pup. Is it illegal? I’m not sure.

    Blago could have handled this better by keeping Ms. Defraties on and censuring her for any real violations of the Personnel Code or the law and requiring her to be retrainned. Firing her outright sounds like a serious judgment lapse
    on the part of….Mr. Cini? Mr. Tuak? Ms. Nix?
    One wonders Now we have to pay for an expensive trial.

    Meanwhile, I continue to be amazed at the low cost of a state job worth hundreds of thousands of dollars over the medium to long run, especially since state civil service employees, after probation, can’t be fired. $1000 contribution buys hundreds of thousands in value. Can’t get that on the stock market. Courtesy of the ever-gullible Illinois taxpayer.

    Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 9:05 am

  5. Ubi fumus, ibi ignis.

    Comment by If it Walks Like a Duck... Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 9:27 am

  6. Is the DRIP DRIP DRIP getting ready to be a steady stream?If there is an investigation going on would they had to have the feds permission to release these documents?

    Comment by DOWNSTATE Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 9:31 am

  7. I know there are many sides to each story. But we were not supposed to be subjected to these practices anymore. When Blagojevich ran and was elected in 2002, he promised these kinds of things would end. The evidence clearly shows he either didn’t know what he was promising, or had no intention to do what he promised. That is a big problem. Blagojevich set his own standards. Evidence clearly reveals him as a complete fraud on the most important aspect of his campaign and election. We have a governor with NO credibility involving the needed level of honesty to perform his job.

    Yet, even with this and other scandals engulfing this administration, the Illinois Democrats supported his renomination. They then proceeded to re-elect him. The State should demand that the Democrats be accountable for their actions too, just as they had punished the Republicans after Ryan.

    I am tired of hearing excuses why this happened. No one should be shocked, or feign ignorance of any of this. You have to wonder what Blagojevich’s supporters were thinking. We have serious judicial action against this guy, and they didn’t want to believe it? To have hoped that Blagojevich was not involved in any of the criminal investigations of his administration makes a toddler’s belief in Santa Claus look scientific.

    First it was Ryan, now it is Blagojevich. Ryan never claimed to be a saint, but he got his just rewards. Blagojevich claimed to be a saint, and now that we know what he is, he should get what Ryan got - doubled. We have to thank the Illinois Democratic party for making Illinois once again the Corruption Capitol of America.

    Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 9:41 am

  8. Ubi fumus, ibi ignis.

    I was Talking t the Duck, Bill,

    Bene! Sed Ubi Fumus, ibi Kingsford!

    Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 9:44 am

  9. Central Management Services, Illinois Tollway & I.D.O.T. are overripe with his whole hiring fiasco.
    As someone stated yesterday, Blagojevich and company are expanding government, not reducing it.

    Comment by Justice Society Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 10:07 am

  10. “In his ordo est ordinem non servare.”

    Comment by If it Walks Like a Duck... Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 10:30 am

  11. Non Serviam!

    Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 10:39 am

  12. Vanilla Man,
    Would you please try to be a little more partisan in your analysis?
    I don’t think that anyone, except extremists like you, really believe that someone in the governor’s office would ever try to exert undue influence in the hiring process!
    Rod is the people’s choice.

    Comment by Bill Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 10:40 am

  13. Bill
    I seriously hope that you are being sarcastic! Vanilla Man is only speaking of something that is being proven over and over again.

    Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 10:49 am

  14. Just to clarify I am not at all agreeing with what Vanilla Man said about the Dem party just what he is saying about the constant corruption.

    Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 10:52 am

  15. What has happened to the state’s cost of office paper? Not all state employees are saints, but it would seem that many state employees would be making copies of all memos, emails, and any written documents coming to them and taking them home as protection over whatever may happen later. Worked in a CYA environment before and it was not a good place to work. This sounds more like Dilbert everyday.

    Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 11:11 am

  16. Bill,
    I voted for the Guv! I am people - sort of . . .
    Anonymous,

    You are in the presence of a Pro. Watching Bill work you hostile mobs is a stone groooooove!

    Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 11:25 am

  17. So let us get this straight, state civil service employees, after probation, can’t be fired now?
    But it’s okay for the Blagojevich administration, shortly after they seized control to fire hundreds of state employees under the veil of re-organization?

    Comment by Shazarc Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 11:56 am

  18. Just what are some of these investigations?

    Comment by Naive Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 12:03 pm

  19. Thanks for the vote,Pat. You made the right choice.
    E Pluribus unum.
    Novus ordo seclorum.

    Comment by Bill Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 12:46 pm

  20. Yep! Remove 50, Add 100.
    What was a $20k position is now a $40k position.
    Gotta get back to work now….

    Comment by I.D.O.T. Bleachers Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 12:54 pm

  21. Quote:

    “Before we all jump to any conclusions - I think we need to wait to hear what Ms. Nix has to say about all this.”

    By the sound of the paper shredder down the hall, I’m guessing Ms. Nix going to be too busy for a couple more hours to give the Governor’s response to us all. But we’ll wait. The explanation is sure to be entertaining.

    I’m waiting for the “evil twin duplicates from the bad Star Trek universe” excuse to be brought into play next.

    Face it, Blagoniks: the evidence is incontrovertible and more comes to light each day. The end is inevitable.

    Second floor Springfield and upper floors at JRTC must look like the evacuation of the embassy at Saigon around now. Directors and underlings dropping like flies, and the middle managers and lower-level foot soldiers are all going to start bringing out their paper trails as they turn state’s evidence.

    You had a good run, Bill, I hope you have friends over in soon-to-be-Gov. Quinn’s office.

    Comment by Gregor Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 12:57 pm

  22. In Hoc Senor Wences, Bill!

    Comment by Pat Hickey Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:06 pm

  23. Where’s number 8? Probably shredding and deleting….

    Comment by The Doom Patrol Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:10 pm

  24. Shazare,

    It’s a myth that Blago fired or laid off a lot of employees. Most personnel cost savings were obtained by not filling the hundreds of vacancies left by Ryan’s early retirement plan implemented in late 2002. Employees in some Rutan exempt positions were let go by Blago, as well as some four year term employees when their terms were up, but that is to be expected under a change of administration. Other than that, there were very few layoffs and firings.

    Blago likely wanted to replace the merit comp and union staff with political hires but their legal job protections are such that they can only be fired if they are convicted of a serious ctime,
    making such jobs a form of permanent government welfare for the incumbents.

    That’s why paying $1000 in campaign contributions to Blago in return for a state civil service job (paid for by us) is such a hugely good deal, potentially worth hundreds of thousands over a lifetime, what with free heatlh care and almost free lifetime pension added to salary.

    He did fire some individuals in Rutan-exempt positions but that’s to be expected. The people in those high level jobs are appointed to them and are supporters of the guv who are there to see that his policies are implemented. This is entirely legal. That’s why they are Rutan-exempt. Anybody who assumes a Rutan exempt position is lifetime employment is seriously misinformed.

    Then there are four year terms. Most of these are Rutan-exempt as well but whether they are or not the guv has no obligation to re-hire them at the end of the four years. Those are the terms of employment. In many cases these were ancient 50 and up hacks who had been put in back in the day when Thompson was guv. and kept getting reappointed by subsequent Republican governors. It was time for them to go.

    State government is a welfare state for everybody else who works there. Union employees and merit comp employmees, the great majority of state employees that is, can be laid off or fired for cause but there are all kinds of complicated union and personnel regs making it time consuming and costly to fire them.

    Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:13 pm

  25. No honestly -
    Why should the leaders within the Illinois Democratic Party get off after all we have learned about our esteemed governor? Does anyone feel responsible for renominating him, or does everyone play victim?

    We really didn’t know what Rod Blagojevich would do once elected, only what he promised to do. But by 2006, we knew. Can you still play victim?

    The same questions should be put to Republicans if they renominated Ryan and got him re-elected. What responsibilities do a party have to citizens if they just let an incumbant sleepwalk to a re-nomination under the conditions Blagojevich got? None?

    Sorry, that shouldn’t be acceptable. If you really believe in a candidate, others depend upon you. When your guy turns out to be Alan Keyes or Rod Blagojevich or George Ryan, what good is your opinion or support of anyone?

    Until I start hearing Democrats from this state stand up to the continued ethical problems their governor has, I have no use for them anymore than I had for Republicans after Ryan.

    Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:13 pm

  26. Hey? Where’d my post go???

    Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:19 pm

  27. When are the indictments coming. At this rate our grandchildren could all die of old age.

    Comment by i d Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:31 pm

  28. Team Sleep
    Read your post, seem pretty harmless. Must of struck a nerve.

    Comment by Shazarc Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:39 pm

  29. Cassandra -
    There were alot more non Rutan-exempt positions escorted out, at least 50 from the Illinois Tollway, must of which did good work.
    I saw it with my own eyes.

    Comment by Shazarc Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 1:55 pm

  30. Thanks, Shazarc.

    And seriously, Rich or Paul: I did go to school with these people. Ms. DeFraties sat right in front of me during my AST seminar that met once each month. She was a very pleasant person.

    Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:17 pm

  31. Vanilla Man, Downstate and the rest of the Blagojevich bashers. The Democrats and the People of Illinois won the election and you lost. Get over it. As for the emails, there is nothing there.

    Comment by (618) Democrat Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:19 pm

  32. S. Nix’s response: “Eheu, litteras istas reperire non possum.”

    Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:22 pm

  33. Sorry, I have a stutter today.

    Comment by If it Walks Like a Duck... Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:25 pm

  34. “…after all we have learned about our esteemed governor?…”
    You haven’t learned anything.There is no evidence of any wrong doing because there was no wrong doing. Every one of your posts, regardless of topic, somehow mentions the governor. It is like you are obsessed. Why are you so intent on subverting the will of the voters? Your side lost!!!Get over it. Move on. Move to Indiana. Do whatever you have to do to forget about Rod and his overwhelming victory. Just think how bad you will feel when he wins his next election.
    Would you like me to send you some of my medication? It will help you relax.

    Comment by Bill Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:44 pm

  35. - (618) Democrat

    Winning an election doesn’t entitle anyone to breaking the law.

    Comment by The Doom Patrol Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:47 pm

  36. Dawn Defraties was one of “these political appointees” herself. Inexperienced and unqualified. She was previously Executive Secretary of the Illinois Firefighters Assoc. as her husband is a retired firefighter. Her husband ran for State Representative and she worked on Carol Moseley Brauns campaign and almost overnight becomes Deputy Director in charge of Personnel when Blago is elected. Dawn is no innocent bystander by any means. Now that they have offered her up as a scapegoat she wants her job back. Give me a break. Live by the sword, die by the sword!

    Comment by scapegoat? Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 2:52 pm

  37. Shazare,

    What exactly were their terms of employment.
    Did you work in Personnel?

    You don’t have to answer that but the point is that employees in an agency don’t always know the exact conditions of employment of their colleagues. I would bet most were in Rutan exempt jobs, on contract, or had reached the end of their four year terms. The rest were likely in jobs that could reasonably be eliminated in an effort to reduce personnel costs.

    As to working hard, it’s irrelevant. I’m sure all those Motorola employees laid off worked hard too. There is no constitutional right to a lifetime job just because you work hard at it.

    Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:01 pm

  38. At what point does a political party become a criminal organization? If a political party refuses to take it’s endorsements seriously and renominates someone with a clear history of unethical or criminal behavior, shouldn’t it be held accountable for whatever damage that incumbant does?

    Why should Illinois taxpayers be expected to merely accept these situations? “Oh, we renominated someone who we shouldn’t have, sorry.” What good is any organization unwilling to accept responsibility for the people they endorse if these people turn out to be crooks?

    My posts on these questions have been bipartisan. We have two major political parties here playing legal games at Illinois’ expense. Have they no responsibilities? If we could, should we sue or fine them when one of their incumbants turns out to be liable on criminal charges?

    As voters, we keep seeing the same bad movie. What would happen if we started holding political parties accountable for their renominees and fine them when they screw up?

    I use the term “renominee” because no one really knows how a candidate does during their first term. We have to give everyone a break with that. But incumbants shouldn’t be given a break. So, a political party wouldn’t be held accountable for a first termer. But, shouldn’t they know better the second time around? We depend on our political parties. Why should they be allowed to be so flippant with their jobs? If they endorse someone for re-election, they should stand behind that candidate and pay the price/fines if that incumbant is convicted of corruption. Right?

    Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:09 pm

  39. Let’s take wagers on when the inditements come through and give the winnings to the Capital Police Fund.

    Comment by For Grins Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:13 pm

  40. Cassandra -

    At one time not long ago (about 4 years) state employees (non rutan-exempt) did have a contract with the state. At least they did at the Illinois Tollway. Then sudden a memo appears, stating you have to sign this document, forfeiting those rights or risk a write-up.

    Comment by Shazarc Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:26 pm

  41. Bill, Blago won because George Ryan was going down in flames and the voting public not only wanted a change of scenery and bought into Blago’s “promise” but also because the voting public thought Jim and Goerge Ryan were the same person. Was the public at large not smart enough to see how principled and honest Jim Ryan was as our Attorney General? He ran the office well and hired people from all ends of the political spectrum. Even Careen Gordon was one of his prosecutors!!! Hiring preferences are alive and well in Illinois. There just aren’t the frontline jobs of 2002; now the hacks and friends get middle-to-upper management gigs.

    Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:34 pm

  42. Doom Patrol: You are right and no one has broke any laws, so what is you point. You seem to be getting your biased opinion mixed up with the facts. The fact is Governor Blagojevich won the election. The fact is no laws were broken.

    Comment by (618) Democrat Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:44 pm

  43. Bill, just what meds ARE you on ? I always suspected you might be smok’n something. To be so oblivious to the reality of Blag’s actions it must be some really good stuff . . . probably industrial strength, huh ?

    Comment by Citizen A Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:50 pm

  44. We get the point 618. We know the Blago won. He is still corrupt. It wasn’t state workers that know what is going on that re-elected the man.

    Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 3:55 pm

  45. I hate to remind people of the Gov’s 2003 Executive orders 1, and 3-5. But he pretty much laid out a plan where he said no more hiring and put the lovely hiring freeze in place, then put the OEIG in place with whistleblower protection and then ordered ethics training for everyone.

    Then he went pretty much against these things he put in place. If you work for the state at this time, you understand the climate state employees work in and know what a joke those above orders are.

    Cassandra - Do you think maybe you could take up the plight of wronged employees somewhere else, that need your help? I mean, you continue to bash state employees without having any real knowledge of what they do, or what goes on. In 2003, I, as a union member, fought to get a merit comp (most awesome administrator we ever had) brought back to work after Blago fired him in his first act of power. One doesn’t come in new to a job and start firing people willy nilly just because their terms might be ending. The cost to the place of employment is a potential danger to the persons served. Not everyone is an incompetent, do nothing, suck the state for every benefit they can get type of person.

    I hope that, and truly believe, what we see here is the tip of the iceberg in rooting out the true corruption that has become Springfield (and Chicago) in the past 4 years.

    Comment by Tessa Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 4:01 pm

  46. Hello Bill. I’ll take some of your medication. I’m curious as to what it is you take that makes you as delusional as you are about Elvis. Perhaps it will give me a real attitude adjustment, make me take out my checkbook for a campaign contribution, and I’ll get a job.

    Comment by Little Egypt Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 4:07 pm

  47. Sheila, O Spinmeister Vixen!
    This one will take lots of fixin’.
    But you know the drill,
    Keep talking like Bill.
    We saw this before with a Nixon.

    Comment by Limerick Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 4:12 pm

  48. Little e!
    Long time,no blog. If you really need a job let me know. Ill talk to Rod.

    Comment by Bill Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 4:15 pm

  49. 618, I think I know who you are. Are you…Jay Hoffman?

    Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 4:20 pm

  50. “When are the indictments coming. At this rate our grandchildren could all die of old age.”

    It’s going to be a little while longer, yet. Just remember - “Everything comes to he who waits”.

    Comment by Judgement Day Is On The Way Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 4:34 pm

  51. How many individuals associated with Rezko got jobs/statewide?

    Comment by Flounder Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 5:19 pm

  52. One down two to go at IDOT maybe things can get back to some normalcy with the departure of martin if he takes curly and larry with him we can get back to work instead of tatalling on each other all day. This is good news folks this guy was the worst sec i have seen in my many years at idot. now if he the higher up need help you still need to clean out your other two martin pals involved in the politacal firing lawsuit..

    Comment by idoter Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 5:23 pm

  53. Can the two employees in question seek damages in addition to getting their jobs back?? This week should be a lot of fun.

    The personnel situation has been fubar since January 2003, and is not getting any better. Our agency just had to hire a supervisor with no experience due to a recommendation from— somewhere you can probably guess.

    Comment by Max Maxwell Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 6:07 pm

  54. Maybe Dick Mell was right…

    Comment by James Andrade Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 6:21 pm

  55. On good source, Tim Martin is indeed gone and has landed with a consulting firm that does a fair amount of business at IDOT. Milt Sees, Director of Highways and former mayor of Mount Vernon (and a Republican IIRC!), is his temporary replacement, and may eventually land the job.

    Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 6:31 pm

  56. Six Degrees - isn’t that a violation of the ethics law?

    Comment by Holdingontomywallet Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 6:55 pm

  57. is Chris Kolker still in charge of Civil Service Commission?

    Comment by Mike Williams Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 7:04 pm

  58. Holding,

    I can think of 5 or 6 former high level IDOT officials who went straight to the private sector upon leaving IDOT. I believe there are restrictions on being directly involved in marketing or contracting a firm with IDOT for a one year period.

    Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 7:07 pm

  59. Even if you believe nothing illegal was done, you have to admit that this is poor leadership. If one of Blogo’s campaign pledges was to “end business as usual”, apparently a lot of his people didn’t get the memo. Following hiring rules should have been a priority based on his campaign and that message should have been drilled into the employees in positions that have influence. A good leader would have cleaned this up and taken responsibility for the mess. That would show some character.

    Comment by Holdingontomywallet Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 7:16 pm

  60. “…A good leader would have cleaned this up and taken responsibility for the mess. That would show some character…” - Surely you jest. This is something of which Blago is totally incapable. He appears to be a sociopath and a megalomeniac. He has demonstrated no conscience and no sensitivity to the people around him e.g. Dick Mell, daughter/wife notwithstanding. He is incapable of keeping his word or honoring his agreements to wit the memos of understanding - a disgrace in and of themselves. When he is gone we shall be richer for his absence.

    Comment by Citizen A Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 7:37 pm

  61. Hey Justice - I spoke up and was retaliated against. That’s what this administration does to scare others so they won’t talk. To report fraud, go straight to the FBI and don’t tell anyone else. Do not report to the Inspector General’s Office - it’s not safe.

    Comment by Swami Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 7:49 pm

  62. Bill, a job for ME????? Really now? You’re not just kidding. I would be the Governor’s best buddy if you really came through for me. Just tell me how much to make the check out for and who to write it to, Abbie or Annie. But I can’t take the job for about three weeks or so. That’s when little Little E #1 comes home from Iraq. WOO HOO!!!!

    Comment by Little Egypt Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 7:51 pm

  63. OK, when did this become an IDOT thread?

    It’s now closed.

    Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jan 25, 07 @ 9:02 pm

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