26 Comments - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 7:30 am: I don’t understand this rush to rehire. There must be hundreds of folks out there with Nervous Anxiety, Dysentery, political dislocation disassociation, etc. Not too appear too callous, but those people who were “politically challenged” who were moved out, laid off, or forced to quit by the Thompson, Edgar and Ryan administrations are stacked up like “cord wood” (to quote former state representative Terry Deering) in the personnel dumping ground over the last 27 years. Just because they have all of sudden become “professional-not political-public serverants” shouldn’t exempt them from review. The Governor is more generous than I would have been. Sen. Halvorson’s daughter will be a great asset. Get over it guys. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 8:24 am: What? She is more qualified than any one of the long time employees that was layed off? Give me a break. I am sure she will get a “warm welcome.” - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 8:47 am: To the person who didn’t want to be “callous”…watch what you say…there were a lot of us who were laid off just to get to the political hacks that went into hiding. And from experience I can tell you it really sucks when you are laid off due to a so called “material reoganization” and that same department keeps hiring political people and the governor’s spokepersons say their contributions and patronage has nothing to do with it! - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 8:51 am: These are now “at-will” appointments, no? And didn’t they used to be four-year appointments? So I assume when Blago is gone — these people will also be immediately cleared out en masse? Why anyone would take an appointment at this stage of the game is actually pretty interesting. Politics aside, Blago’s changing the 4-year terms to at-will doesn’t bode well for any agency continuity or institutional memory. This, I think, is where the larger damage occurs — not necessarily at the individual appointment level (although I suspect that many of those appointees quickly realize that there’s more work involved than sitting at a desk and “managing.” Most agencies are a mess right now — and if this budget is as bad as what’s being reported, there’s not much hope until Blago leaves office.) Whatever. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 8:55 am: This doesn’t seem to jibe with the story being told by the Administration to those without the clout who are seeking an appointment. Their story is “Oh gee, if only you had veteran’s preference, then you’d go straight to the head of the line.” The Blagojevich regime should just tell folks that this IS business as usual, and that’s that. People get more pissed off by liars than by people who tell them something they might not like to hear. Blago’s shot at a Presidential bid is about zilch because he just is a serial liar. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 8:56 am: And who would want their young daughter put into a situation like this? I would have told mine “over my dead body.” - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 9:01 am: That’s actually interesting. Are any of these Blago appointees veterans? It’d be interesting to see a breakdown of the appointees. Granted they’ve all got financial and/or political ties to Blago (or have driven his campaign van). But it’d be interesting to get a detailed demographic breakdown of the appointees. Obviously, these people aren’t filling out CMS 100 forms and getting a “grade” (like everybody else in state employment.) My sense is that the breakdown would be considerably skewed — and actually out of whack with the stated CMS hiring policies. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 9:09 am: This young lady doesn’t have a chance. She could be the next Lisa Madigan and she won’t be able to get off the ground because of the atmosphere surrounding political hires and nillywilly fires. I predict she will be transfered to the gov’s office, soon - and with a raise. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 9:15 am: I have a degree in Speech Communication. I love the outdoors and camp and hike a lot. I am not remotely qualified to work at the IDNR and I graduated 15 years ago. Nobody but a yes man (or woman) political hack with blinders on could believe this hire was anything but poor decision making based on political ties (this time mommy’s) - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 9:33 am: Well, if Blago appoints enough people, he’ll have a pretty substantial political base. Of course, this will be *the* base, so he’s got a lot of appointing to do in the next twelve months. But what’s annoying isn’t the appointments. Fair enough — this is what the GOP did, too. All right, fine. Govs are entitled to appoint their people. Fine. What’s annoying is this weird crusade about ethics and “business as usual.” This *is* business as usual — and no matter how Tusk spins it and sells it and simplifies it for Rod, it’s still the same old stuff. This is how it’s always done, always will be done. You can’t shine a turd. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 9:45 am: Exempt, means exempt. So, anyone who takes those spots who expects to stay if the Governor loses is absolutely naive–if not outright stupid. The Governor has the right to appoint them. A new Governor would have the right to fire them. That’s the way it is. Those who don’t like it shouldn’t work in politics or should seek to have CMS reclassify all the term appointments AGAIN. I can guarantee to you, there are a lot of us who would take our firing, layoff standing up, not bent down trying to suck up. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 5:12 pm: The guv is a truly inspirational “reformer.” No more business as usual. I actually feel bad in a way for this young woman because it’s not her fault and unfortunately she’ll become (or already has become) a lightning rod. A story that many may not know is how the guv fired many of the previous administration’s folks. He had the dunn fellows write and deliver the letters laying off their former bosses. Isn’t that classy? Those people who got fired, many (though not all) of which were undeserved, have almost all gotten their jobs back. They also got back-pay - good for them. But while their cases were in court, the taxpayers were spending a ton of money defending the state’s illegal firings. Why hasn’t anybody written about the money the state paid Winston and Strawn in these lawsuits? - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 7:10 pm: AMEN! I work at an agency where in the early days they escorted numerous people out the door - some who were long-time employees and not political hacks - and ultimately had to bring them back. Cost to taxpayers: two salaries - that of the new “hires”, back pay for the improperly fired worker, plus all the legal fees. And everyone wonders why the state finances are in such bad shape. If this happened even five times at every state agency under the governor, it adds up fast - especially at the hourly rate Winston and Strawn charges. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 7:29 pm: “Rutan v. Republican Party” was a landmark US Supreme court case that changed the patronage system in IL and the ability to hire and promote staff without regard to reasonable guidelines. Some predicted it would be the end of political patronage in IL. The truth is, every administration since the Rutan ruling, Rep and Dem, has attempted to make a few more positions Rutan-exempt and to skirt the intent of the ruling as much as possible. That being said, the vast majority of state jobs are still under union protection, and some non-union management positions are still subject to the state’s grievance process, both of which make it much more difficult to fire someone than the at-will positions (Rutan exempt or “double exempt”) or Rutan-covered positions at a level higher than the grievance process covers (”single exempt”). Layoffs are a different matter, and are less subject to threat of lawsuit or grievance than a firing. But it still takes a lot of political maneuvering to lay off 100 employees and then to create a Rutan-exempt position for someone that would not require a union hire-back. Not to mention, it looks bad for the admin. when it happens…especially when touting “business as usual”. - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 8:17 pm: So, when the new adminstration came in it didn’t realize that it really wasn’t a myth that you can’t fire a state employee. I have seen hirings of folks who didn’t give money or time to the Governor get positions. (but they are Democrats) I have also seen these people put into double exempt jobs. That means new boss, no job. Like the real world outside state government. Face it, the revolution has arrived in state government just like it has in the private sector. You want government run like a business, you’ve got it now. No job security, no annual raise, eventually no pension, and no healthcare for life. CMS is no different than WAL-MART. I do feel sorry for the delusional folks who think the Republican who might be elected Governor won’t cut more. If you read the comments by the potential candidates on the Illinois Leader site, none of them talks about cutting less or raising taxes. House Minority Leader Tom Cross was recently interviewd by the AP: “When you have excess money, the tendency is to just spend — you don’t have to make tough decisions,” Cross said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And when you go through some tough times, it forces you to analyze, ‘Do we really need this agency? Can we get by with 80 people instead of 100?’ You don’t do that when you have money.” Do you get that? ‘Do we really need this agency? Can we get by with 80 people instead of 100?’ And remember kids, Cross is the moderate Republican. http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1044572&t=Iowa+%2F+Illinois&c=24,1044572 I also didn’t read anything in the Southern that said the lawmakers at the House budget hearing were introducing legislation to raise the income and sales tax. Face the facts, Bill Clinton was right, the era of big government is dead. (except the part that does homeland security) - Anonymous - Monday, Feb 7, 05 @ 11:54 pm: “Face it, the revolution has arrived in state government just like it has in the private sector. You want government run like a business, you’ve got it now. No job security, no annual raise, eventually no pension, and no healthcare for life. CMS is no different than WAL-MART.” And just like the private sector, the state should be accountable to its stockholders, the public. With less featherbedding by “entitled” career state employees. This may mean, however, that the state might have to get by with less, but more competent employees. And one would think the state will have to compete with the private sector with greater pay and performance bonuses, since it seems like the job security, benefits and pension advantages of state employment are going to be a thing of the past. I also see more privatization of services. Rutan didn’t kill patronage, but the new economic reality of the public sector might put a good-sized dent in it. Even with the handful of political hacks that have appeared in state government over the last 2 years, they are probably a lot less numerous than they would have been if the governorship had switched parties in, say, 1992. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 8, 05 @ 10:28 am: To the person who wrote: “. . . I work at an agency where in the early days they escorted numerous people out the door - some who were long-time employees and not political hacks . . .” Everyone please take note of this a) naivete or b) stupidity. Define “political hack”: 1) someone recommended by Irv Smith, 2) someone recommended by a committeeman/woman to Irv Smith; 3) someone who knew a GOP city council member 4) someone recommended by Poe, Brauer or Bomke; 5) someone recommended by Daniels, Cross, Jim Harry, Brad Bolin or that ilk; and/or someone recommended by someone who knew someone in the Evening Republican Club. Of course, their definition of “non-political hack” is: a) someone who went to college, scored high on their exams, was a child prodigy, just walked into CMS and had flower petals thrown at their feet because they were such a professional catch and, obviously, irreplaceable. I’m not cynical nor delusional–unlike some who would like to convince themselves that they don’t know what their politics have been under previous administrations . . . O’, to be so removed from politics must be very self-satisfying . . . - Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 8, 05 @ 7:36 pm: To the last anonymous poster. Gee it sounds like the department I work in the poster he/she was describing when old line employees were escorted out. Do you want a description of a political hack? We have them. How about a Procurement Officer who just walks around all day, and is frequently seen smoking outside the building? Boy that position was really missed before the current admin. Perhaps the fellow who is in the International Trade office, Asian rep., who sat in his cube staring for a year working from 10:00AM to 3:30? Now he has his office, with a door, but he still takes his twice daily lap around the department with a manilla folder in his hand. Maybe a political hack is a person hired as a deputy director for the numerous new divisions? Or the asst. deputy director, or the asssitant to the assistant. Or could they be one of the “Chiefs of Staff” created for everything possible from the Pencil Counting Division to the Bureau of Envelope Licking? Is it a relative of someone? And that relative decides it would be an important job to check out porn sites? Oh, sorry, that person got canned. I think the hacks are just the ordinary people who just show up one day, are assigned to the director’s office, and surf the web all day every day. Nope no hacks in this state’s employ. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 8, 05 @ 8:21 pm: “Maybe a political hack is a person hired as a deputy director for the numerous new divisions? Or the asst. deputy director, or the asssitant to the assistant. Or could they be one of the “Chiefs of Staff” created for everything possible from the Pencil Counting Division to the Bureau of Envelope Licking?” This sounds a lot like what is going on in my agency. We have a few appointees “in search of a mission”, and they keep finding different things to keep these people busy, or to maintain an appearance thereof. Strange how a bureaucracy expands to fill the space it occupies. Business as usual, indeed. To be fair, this has been going on in previous administrations. When a highly placed confidant of Ryan’s got placed at our agency (in order to get a few more months of state service to qualify him for a state pension), we never saw him after his first few days. If the state truly is to be run like a private-sector business, the employees and management have to be accountable, competence has to be demanded, excellence has to be rewarded, and uselessness and make-work schemes cannot be tolerated. There is scant evidence of this being the case these days, from where I sit. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 8, 05 @ 8:39 pm: Yep, we have to be in the same agency. I remember the guy who dropped in to get his pension boosted. Isn’t it amazing how many drooling, blank expressioned ding-dongs that come and go? How ’bout that Chief of Staff? I know that person watches “West Wing” to get an idea of what to do in their as Chief of Staff. Urrrp! - Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 8, 05 @ 10:54 pm: Sadly, I don’t think we’re in the same office…and we’re talking about different circuses, but the same old clowns. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 9, 05 @ 7:38 pm: I am not in government but find this whole IDNR story interesting. A couple of questions to answer: Were any of the 100 or so people laid off at IDNR hired during Blogo’s term or where they all from previous admins. Does Blago’s people just not care about the negative pr this hiring will cause? I mean who in the right mind would hire a girl like this, with her connections, at a meaningless title, when 100’s are being layed off, during a budget crisis and say she will be a great asset to the department? He knows he is going to take some heat from this hiring, right? What am I missing here? - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Feb 9, 05 @ 8:26 pm: They are either clueless or don’t care. - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 10, 05 @ 2:34 pm: Rich, the reporting on this “story” has been weak. Espcially Bernie, TV-20, and the AP story with Sen. Dahl’s comment. First, legislative liaison isn’t a worthless title. You are at the capitol, are the liasons underworked? I’m also sure that the laid-off DNR workers, espcially the mechanics and scientists, are clamoring for a chance to carry the Blago administration’s water, “cut dnr more, cut dnr more,” to the General Assembly. None of the stories have talked about what the liaisons work involves, or the fact that the yougner Halvorson may, in fact, be qualified, and the laid off dnr folks not qualified. The honest political reality is that anyone lobbying the GA would love to have the daughter of the Senate Majority leader on their team. The other problem with the DNR reporting has been the “cuts will affect vital programs.” Well, what are the programs, and how will the general tax-paying public be hurt by them? I don’t know how many people Blago has hired, but my guess is that it is no where near enough to replace the 11,000 or 12,000 that have retired/been fired/laid off since George Ryan’s early retirement. - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 10, 05 @ 6:31 pm: I got to respond to the above anonymous….call a spade a spade will you? Blatant political hiring. Republicans did it, Dem are doing it. The only difference between now and back when the Republicans did it is: This admin. talking points are all about ethics, reform and no “business as usual” politics. But it is the same old politics….and they are flat-out blatant about it. - Anonymous - Saturday, Feb 12, 05 @ 9:24 am: Hopefully Senator Halvorson’s daughter will do a good job but you can’t say that none of the laid off DNR folks were not qualified. One, in fact, was the former head liaison at DNR for many years under at least two previous administrations. She was working in another job at DNR and was laid off this fall. 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