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* This ought to be a lot of fun…
The focus turns back to Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday as a House committee weighing his political fate delves into alleged hiring irregularities and prepares for a crucial stretch that may culminate in his impeachment by week’s end. […]
At the heart of the impeachment committee’s look at hiring irregularities is a confidential 2004 report by the governor’s handpicked executive inspector general, said House Majority Leader Barbara Currie (D-Chicago), the panel’s chairwoman.
The report, which the Tribune disclosed as Blagojevich ran for re-election in 2006, concluded that his patronage office was the “real machine driving hiring” in a state agency for jobs that were supposed to be free of political influence.
“This effort reflects not merely an ignorance of the law, but complete and utter contempt for the law,” according to the report written by Zaldwaynaka Scott, who was Blagojevich’s first executive inspector general.
The hearing begins today at 3 o’clock. Don’t miss it.
* Meanwhile…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s official calendar shows he met with a top union official in his Chicago office the day before Barack Obama was elected president — just as federal prosecutors say the governor was scheming to trade Obama’s Senate seat, possibly for a cushy union job.
The meeting with Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, also was attended by Tom Balanoff, president of the Illinois chapter of the union, which has been Blagojevich’s largest campaign contributor. […]
Prosecutors allege one of Blagojevich’s plans was to use his power to appoint a Senate replacement for Obama to get a high-paying job with “Change to Win,” an SEIU-affiliated political action group.
That’s actually only part of the story. The criminal complaint reveals snippets of recordings that show the governor was allegedly trying to cut a “three-way” deal with Obama and SEIU, but only two parts of the three were ever revealed.
The Wall Street Journal had this report several days ago which may explain what that third leg really was…
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was preparing to issue an executive order prior to his arrest last week that would have allowed union organizing of home-care workers that could have benefited a labor union with close ties to the governor. […]
The executive order would have enabled the SEIU or another union to organize about 1,200 workers in the state who care for developmentally disabled people in their homes and would have augmented one signed by the governor in 2003, said Michelle Ringuette, an SEIU spokeswoman. […]
Ms. Ringuette said the SEIU was aware of the executive order but didn’t know what role, if any, the union played in developing it. She said other unions would have been able to organize the workers as well. But a rival union said it was unaware of the order, while SEIU staffers and outside experts say the SEIU had already begun actively seeking the support of workers. […]
Charlotte Cronin, executive director of Family Support Network of Illinois, a Peoria-based advocacy group for the developmentally disabled, confirmed that union organizers knocked on doors this past summer, and that some relatives of the disabled found them “overly persistent.” She said the union, which she believed to be SEIU, was able to get home addresses because they are a matter of public record.
Curious.
Keep in mind, however, that SEIU flatly denies any deals were ever made. This could’ve just been all in the governor’s head, for all we know.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 11:26 am
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wow — and it would be interesting if someone tracked all the good fortune SEIU has enjoyed since Blago has been in office.
Haven’t they been blessed with great negotiations with the state, and a few increases in past few years??
Wow.
Comment by dupage progressive Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 11:42 am
I think allowing unions to organize has been a pretty regular and standard practice by this governor. I’m not really sure that would be the third leg.
Its too ordinary.
Comment by i don't know Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 11:53 am
The union thing by itself is no big deal but paired with a promise of a high paying job for the gov IN EXCHANGE for the union thing is a big deal.
Comment by One of the 35 Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 12:00 pm
We haven’t had a governor this poisonous and toxic before. It will be interesting to see how many individuals and organizations will suffer due to their past fealty to Rod Blagojevich.
This could be why there has been so much delay among Democrats. Delay? Yes, they knew he was a crook when they renominated him, so they had since 2006 to create an escape plan when he went down. Smart politicans knew where the fire escapes were by December 9th, and have used them. However, a majority of Democrats are still deciding which of their goodies to grab as they abandon the USS Blagojevich. Their lame excuses that they were surprised by the Governor’s behavior comes off as lies as they scramble for protection from voters.
We will be seeing “Blagojevich ties” as an effective political weapon in the future. Ethical laws will be enacted. Reforms will be put into place. Every deal with be questioned. Prices will be paid for having been a Blagojevich stooge.
As it should be.
When people run for office, they risk public wrath when things go wrong. If they do a good job in office, they have protection from this wrath. If they are just bench-warmers, then they expose themselves to being justifiably terminated.
Corruption at this level of an organization should not go unpunished. Whether it is a business or a government, when individuals fail the public they should suffer the consequences of their failures.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 12:11 pm
Rich, who was the impeachment committee member who said that “this thing has tentacles that go very far?” What did you interpret that to mean?
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 12:24 pm
They should bring in Mary Lee Lahey the Queen of Rutan and discuss what happened while she was with the Governor’s office especially the 35 that were fired on the first day.
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 2:29 pm
[…] THE BLOG TODAY… * Impeachment hearing open thread * This just in… * Question of the day * It’s gonna get worse * Impeachment hearings move ahead;Plus: The governor’s schedule revealed * Comcast outage * AP says Burris will be seated, but criticism has been ignored *** Live press conference *** * Morning Shorts * SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax ** Yesterday’s blog posts […]
Pingback by The Capitol Fax Blog » Impeachment hearing open thread Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 2:45 pm
Seems kind of small and ordinary, from the SEIU point of view.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 4:00 pm
More fodder for the SEIU/Blago fire. In Feb of 2005, the gov signed executive order #1, this allowed the collective bargaining of home childcare providers that were funded at least in part through DHS. Between March and May of 2005 SEIU gave the gov $250,000 in four payments. During that period, the DHS mailroom began sending out informational organizing material on behalf of SEIU and ONLY SEIU to these providers. DHS personnel, equipment, supplies, postage were ALL used and paid for out of the DHS BUDGET and at NO cost to SEIU. In Dec 2005, SEIU gave the gov $250,000. Not long after that DHS programming staff were informed that they would, in the near future be designing and maintaining a PAYROLL system for SEIU and the providers - AGAIN at NO COST to SEIU This system would be used to collect union and fair share dues from the childcare providers(these people are basically contractors - NOT state employees). The staff was told that the gov expected the system to be implemented by late spring(around the end of April) March of 2006, SEIU donated another $200,000 to the gov. DHS continued to work on the SEIU PAYROLL system at NO cost to SEIU. Work on the system completed in late April/early June of 2006. In June of 2006, SEIU donated $200,000 to the gov in two $100,000 payments. The gov’s people negotiated such a generous contract for this group that the REDLEAF INSTITUTE(an organization for home childcare providers) had a paragraph on its website that in essence stated that thanks to SEIU’s contributions to the gov of IL, the providers had successfully negotiated a very lucrative contract.(I have posted the link on this blog in the past. I just checked the site and the site has been re-orged so the link is no longer valid) DHS continues to maintain SEIU’s payroll and continues to ABSORB the COST of this system. While state payrolls do deducitions for other unions, the difference is that the other unions represent ACTUAL state employees, while SEIU, in this case, are representing contractual employees. And now I read that the gov and SEIU were about to take DHS back down that road with the organizing of the contractual home HEALTHCARE providers, God, I hope they get those SEIU guys….
Comment by Sweet Polly Purebred Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 8:00 pm
BTW - the original mailing did not come cheap. DHS had a tight deadline and was told to do whatever and spend whatever to get the mailings done in compressed time frame. DHS complied. Countless workers were involved and OVERTIME was the norm. Not only did we pay for a non-state related mailing, we paid time and a half in many instances for no other reason than to keep SEIU happy.
Comment by Sweet Polly Purebred Wednesday, Jan 7, 09 @ 8:07 pm