Oy, part 102,948
Thursday, Jun 1, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Here we go again.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s office reviewed and approved the hiring of state employees — often by name — for hundreds of routine jobs such as highway workers and plumbers, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.
Despite the governor’s claims that his office did not decide who would be hired for civil service jobs, which are nonpolitical, those positions are among nearly 1,800 hires, promotions, transfers and salary increases aides to the governor OK’d in the months following Blagojevich’s 2003 inauguration, according to hiring lists officials maintained.
The job-seeker’s name was included in nearly 1,200 cases. Blagojevich and his aides repeatedly have said the administration’s hiring practices were “blind” — meaning his office, for budget reasons, made the final decision on whether to fill jobs but never knew the names of individuals being hired.
And don’t you just love this explanation?
Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said the lists were in the format used by the previous governor and only were used until the new administration could set up a system that didn’t include identities. Hiring decisions made from the lists were not made based on names, she said.
CBS2 has more.
“More than 15,000 people have been recommended in our personnel office. The records that are there are kept by the personnel office. This is one of those areas I don’t get involved with,” Blagojevich said last week.
But an April 2003 e-mail obtained by the Associated Press implies Personnel Director Joe Cini was screening applicants very carefully.
“All hires and fires must come through this office,” it reads. “If Joe doesn’t sign off on it, it doesn’t happen.”
“That e-mail was written by someone who is no longer with our office and who was misinterpreting the intent of Executive Order One,” Blagojevich spokesman Abby Ottenhoff said.
But lists also obtained by the AP show those civil service positions filled and details those who filled them during the governor’s first months in office.
“Either Joe Cini is going down the list and making sure that the right people are getting the job, or else Joe Cini is making sure that Executive Order Number One is being cued to,” said Cindy Canary with the Coalition for Political Perform. “I think there’s no doubt that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney is gonna look carefully.
EO-1 is the hiring freeze.
You can find a partial list here. I really wish the AP would post the full lists when they do stories like this.
- state worker #1 - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:02 am:
Rich is there any way that you can get a copy of the entire list? I new the 261 figure that was posted was too low. At the state agency that I work for (IDOT) we have had at least 40 political hires in the last 3.5 years just in our District.
First they admit they knew about the list, and then they deny the list, now they admit they knew about the list all alone – it was just ‘the list was in the format used by the previous governor’. Give me a break!!!!
- angry and outraged - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:04 am:
I would like to see the entire list as well there are some very politically connected names missing from the list that are currently employeed at the Tollway. Very early on when these hacks started getting jobs they were bold enough to say they were on a list and who put them there!
- Disgusted - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:08 am:
This administration is classless, shameless and clueless. And apparently has no fear of being investigated, either. They are “rocking the system” alright, rocking so hard it’s about to tip over. Are you listening, Fitz?
- Brad Tusk's Ego - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:34 am:
EO1 is all you need to know. There is a hiring freeze for State jobs. If you get a job with the State, the GOVERNOR’S OFFICE has to approve it. Now it has come to light that same office keeps lists of sponsors and who’s who for those people they approve to hire. It is that simple.
Go get ‘em Dawn!! They are not going to stick it on you. The house of cards is falling.
- DOWNSTATE - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 7:38 am:
Where the hell is Lisa Madigan?I hope she runs for Governor someday so all this will it her and Daddy in the face.These people need to be in jail.
- Pot Stirrer - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 8:41 am:
Years ago, several months prior to the election I happened upon a party connected individual upstate. The person indicated that the party was already looking forward to the 5,000 estimated jobs they would have the opportunity to fill. Clearly they were relishing in what looked like a sure thing at the time.
Had to get rid of some in order to make room for others. Also, had to make up jobs to make room for still more. Either the totals are incomplete or they still have a few to go.
- the Patriot - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 9:15 am:
The upside is most of the positions filled by this governor can be eliminated by the next governor because the people simply are not qualified to perform the job they are being paid to do. Had the governor been smart enough to actually screen applicants and match political hires with positions they are qualified for it would be much harder to get rid of them.
When is Judy going to hit Rod with this. Each time he doles out cash or announces a new program Rod is doing the talking. When it comes to the corruption problems, Rod has some easily severable mouthpiece up in front of the camera.
If you did nothing wrong, and it was just people out of line, step up and tell us, don’t send your hacks out to take your heat. This is where She can get him in debates, he pushes positives very well, but has completely avoided any personal contact with bad stories and does not know how to defend them without help.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 9:48 am:
This kind of news is simply confirming our belief that Rod Blagojevich was woefully unprepared to be governor. What person would run for a job for years but fail to consider what the job entailed? What kind of person didn’t take into consideration how they would build their administration under the very guidelines they proposed?
Blagojevich didn’t have to run as a virgin reformer. He chose the role. Why didn’t he take into consideration what this meant?
What is being confirmed is the ugly truth. It appears that Blagojevich had no intentions to reform anything. He had neither reason nor clue in how to implement his own proposals. He really is what he appears to be: a son-in-law of a powerful Chicago alderman who charmed his way into office. An empty smiling puppet who says whatever it takes to get through a day.
After Ryan, we needed relief. Blagojevich knew that. He abused our need to feather his political ambitions. He has a lot of nerve even considering a re-election bid. But as we have learned, nerve is all he has.
- DOWNSTATE - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 10:08 am:
Think back when the guy that heads IDOT made the statement that if re-elected Blago would get rid of the rest of the Republicans.I guess this comfirms it.Why does this bunch always try to blame past Governors when they are caught lying?One thing about it when the Republicans caught their people dirty they voted for Blago hoping to clean up the mess.Now we have found out that he is worse than Ryan ever thought about being.So let’s see how many Democrats have the intigrity or nerve to help vote him out
- Merlin - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 10:18 am:
If the press can find all this out, what about the people with legal authority and duty to stop public coruption? I often hear about Lisa Madigan opening investigations. Has she ever closed one?
- Concerned Dem - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 10:47 am:
With all of Blago’s corrupt activity at the top of the ticket and Alexi’s baggage from his family bank in the Treasurers race the dems have reasons to be concerned about the top of the ticket.
Sen. Rev. Meeks exposed the fact that the African American community is disenchanted with Blago.
The circus that Strogers illness has spawned is imbarassing, and will cause a large number of Cook County dems to stay home in Nov.
And look for Bobby Rush and other prominent African American lawmakers to endorse JBT if the race is close in the fall
- The original Bill - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 11:10 am:
Oh Wow!!!
Bobby Rush! Now there is a political power house.
Bring it on!
- Bubs - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 11:14 am:
I told you there was lots more trouble coming for Rod. The BlagoBloggers sneered.
Guess what? There is still more out there. Lots more.
- Tired Taxpayer - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 11:22 am:
Merlin’s right.
We always read about Lisa Madigan “announcing” investigations but never any announcements about closing them. What happened, for example, with the big AG investigation into corruption and abuse at the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center? Not a peep since the big story about her “investigation,” which at the time included a long, leaked list of alleged abuses.
- Swami - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 12:20 pm:
Hiring practices at IDOT were and still are questionable under this administration. Based on the auditor general’s report, IDOT’s contracts don’t pass the smell test. Secretary Martin almost not confirmed. What was once a glorious agency is now nothing but a pathetic haven for political hacks.
- Panda fan - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 12:25 pm:
Hope Joe Cini don’t get Bamani Obadale as his cellmate.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 12:27 pm:
The key here is breaking the Rutan Rules and denying that you have never done anything wrong. Claiming that everything is George Ryan’s fault is something that might work for a while. Claiming that you are ignorant of a charge or violation could help out a couple of times. But this administration never seems to have any idea of the laws in place or how to formulate a working budget. And VM is correct: Rod won out of disgust for the GOP, not because of his ideas.
- Inspector Renard - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 12:49 pm:
“I am shocked, SHOCKED, Rick, that GAMBLING is going on in Casablanca!”
“Here are your winnings, Inspector”
“Thankyou!”
- Curious - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 1:42 pm:
When I click on “You can find a partial list here” I get a “page not found”! Is anyone else seeing this partial list? Could someone post the partial list of names here? I want to see if the people our agency was forced to take are on that list. Thanks!
- DOWNSTATE - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 1:56 pm:
Is there a legal mind out there that would answer the question.Is this a blog story or was there a law broke?
- Cassandra - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 5:32 pm:
However the incumbents may have hit the jackpot and gotten these positions , it looks like, with the possible exception of the nursing assistant, this is a crop of typical no-work, no-qualifications, no-expectations state of Illinois jobs. And it doesn’t look like they can be got rid of when the Dems leave office either. These are lifetime jobs. The incumbents will be there until they are in their 80’s, snoozing away, because it’s easier to stay in state government than to actually fill out the forms to retire.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:22 pm:
Bobby Rush’s son is not the assistant supervisor in corrections he is in parole as a supervisor.But I’m sure the “books” don’t say that.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:25 pm:
This so called list isn’t even close to a true reflection of the political hiring I’ve seen in corrections. Non qualified people that don’t have a clue about corrections and running a prison.No wonder our prisons are so dangerous now.
- Silas - the assassin opus dei monk - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:41 pm:
According to what I read in the media and these posts seems like the people involved are guilty until proven innocent.
He who has not sinned cast the first stone. For those republicans on the payroll I wonder how you got your job? Blago should just come clean and say that he messed up and move on. People here are fast to crucify whomever doesnt agree to their agenda.
If judy were to win I seriously doubt she will open the exempt jobs to the public. If this goes to trial let the jury convict or acquit.
Hypocrites.
- SilverBackDemocrat - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 6:42 pm:
There has been absolutely no violation of law regarding the “new hires, and promotions, etc. When the Governor took office, he “froze” all hiring and promotions. Once the state began to hire, all hiring, whether new or promotions had to be approved via-fiscal responsibility. All jobs had to be “needed” in order for them to be approved. I am no insider (just a good ole’ fashioned political junkie), but I know this is so because I am a state employee. If someone was promoted, it had to be legitimate or the union would have raised a fuss (grievance) and won, etc.
- Wide Awake - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 8:43 pm:
I am not willing to condemn either party for hiring practices. In my opinion, the biggest problem is the way state jobs are posted. An average Joe off the street has to be a true detective to find out which state jobs are being posted. Or, he or she has to take any number of tests hoping that a position he or she tests for comes open. It is truly a shot in the dark. Under the current system, only “insiders” know when jobs are posted or available. The average Joe doesn’t stand a chance. Other states post job openings on the internet so the public actually has a chance to view them. Illinois needs to make the hiring system more transparent to the average public.
- state worker #1 - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 8:43 pm:
‘SilverBackDemocrat’ you are wrong, wrong, wrong. I am a state worker also and to start off, when the Gov had pronounced his ‘hiring freeze’ before a full month had elapse we had ‘appointees’ in several positions. Our District had several positions CREATED in addition to several positions that had been unfilled for years (they were positions that were obsolete) but never taken off the books. So much for the jobs being ‘needed’! It was a total joke. Our administration manger is now on his third (3rd) assistant. After 6 months of each ‘assistant’ hired, they are moved to a more secure union position. In the 20+ years that I have work for that District, the administration manager has NEVER had an assistant. This was just one example of the numerous newly created positions. The second point I have to make is that the union could care less about who gets promoted. The only thing the union cares about is how many people they can get to pay dues – why else would the union allow unqualified liaisons to be placed in technical union positions.
- Papa Legba - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 9:42 pm:
#1, you are one the mark about all the appointees just *showing up* reporting for work. We used to wonder how many new faces we would see on a Monday morning. Then about every other Friday our HR Bozo (worked for Mayor Davlin’s campaign) would show up and we would be wondering who would be escorted to the elevators. It was the only reason he ever came up to Chicago - not to interview a candidate because those formalities are optional.
Bottom line is once all of those Trainee and Probationary employees complete six months of satisfactory employment, they were moved into their permanent positions. These positions are usually made up titles and have a fairly large salary attached. This is how the system was skirted and the union was kept out of the way.
- Anon - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 9:54 pm:
“SilverBackDemocrat”:
You are really wrong about your assumption. You are either naive or stupid. I was on the “inside” in the Gov’s budget office when Blago took office. The lists existed. The special treatment existed. The political hires happened. It is true that this generally happens in Illinois, however, it has not happened to the extend the Blago has done in a long, long time. It’s one thing to fill management positions with hacks . . . it’s totally different to be digging deep into the workforce (corrections officers, unqualified wardens, secretaries, etc.).
- Silas - the assassin opus dei monk - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 10:51 pm:
Political hires are inevitable. Are they ever going to go away? I doubt it. Will there be a day when a politician will consider a regular joe as their policy maker? I seriously doubt it. It does not matter who is in office, this tradition will continue for generations to come as it has existed for generations before us. Im a cynic so I doubt that politicians will ever resort to an open-door policy to the public when it comes to upper management positions no matter how much they try to sugar coat it with ‘reform’ laws. If a criminal law has not been broken then I believe these postions will be given to loyal people who can be trusted. List or no list; non-union jobs will be given out by politicians. Heck unions are in bed with the politicians to begin with so until this is stopped patronage hiring will exist inside unions and within administrations. It is up to the powers to be to decide whether or not any laws were broken in the process (i.e. rigging tests, altering interviews, etc.) So until then let the voters decide who shall be governor.
- cynically anonymous - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 11:19 pm:
The union can’t grieve MC positions - which is where all the “hacks” at DHS have landed. And while I suspect that there might be one or two who are actually competent, I think an IQ test would leave no doubt that there are no Mensa candidates. I just hope that the voting public recognizes that this governor and the last could very well be twins separated at birth!
- Disgusted - Thursday, Jun 1, 06 @ 11:55 pm:
I don’t think the union really cares even about getting dues. There are several merit comp. positions that have elected to join the union, signed cards two years ago and nothing has happened. They claim they are concerned with a large group which CMS is preventing from joining. So let the rest in and worry about the others later. The union has losts thousands in dues by not being proactive in gaining new members.
- Chicago1617 - Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 8:45 am:
Are we really to believe that Mr. Joe Cini is behind this so called scandal? How many politicians Republican and Demarcates alike mask the political favors that they partake in??? Unfortunately for Joe he is the scapegoat for this mess that is happening. This is unlike his character both professionally and personally.
- PatriotUSA - Friday, Jun 2, 06 @ 6:11 pm:
Joe Cini did what he was told to do by his boss, Lon Monk. Mr. Monk was the main strategist for all State agency executives and had no problem treating them like school ground wimps if they didn’t do what they were told. Curious thing that Mr. Monk left the Gov. office for the campaign trail about the time all heck broke loose. They all know they are in deep trouble. Many of the Gov. staff left about the time Mr. Monk did, including CMS Director Rumman, Gov. Chief Lawyer, CMS Chief Lawyer Ed Wynn, Gov. Chief of Staff Brian Daly and many, many more Gov. staff. The First Lady has an office with a Director (who elected her?) and her Director left about the time Mr. Monk did. The main “stay on” is Bradley Tusk, Dep. Gov. Is he the instigator of all of this? If you ask anyone in Gov. office, Mr. Tusk runs the entire state and Rod is nothing more than his puppet. Did Brad bring NYC to Illinois? You bet. How do you Dems sleep at night?
- NoGiftsPlease - Saturday, Jun 3, 06 @ 8:38 am:
Here’s a project for you. Forget about the list. Find the names of people hired at a state agencies — especially the higher paid jobs — and do a quick comparison of previous employment/qualifications and the job they’ve been hired for. Pay special attention to people brought in from outside the agency. When you find a mismatch, google them and see where they came from or who they’re related to. Easier still, ask a state employee….
- tistophone - Sunday, Jun 4, 06 @ 8:47 am:
I appreciate Chicago1617’s comments. Joe Cini is a “stand up guy” and a quality professional. There wouldn’t be so many angry lawmakers and others that felt they were entitled to jobs if Joe and others had not been doing it right.
Keep in mind, this is the same Adminstration that has dramtically cut headcount.
- NoGiftsPlease - Thursday, Jun 8, 06 @ 9:15 pm:
Does the governor and his minions take the ethics training the rest of the state employees are required to take each year? As for the dramatic cut in headcount, a) much work is now being done by consultants which as far as I can see is not cheaper than salaries and in fact many of the qualified employees who left the state now work for the consulting companies which are under contract to the state and b) the loss of skilled professionals and manpower has reduced the ability of the state do do its work. Talk about brain drain. I dont’ see the benefit in that, either.