Oy, Part 346,936
Friday, Jun 9, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
More reform and renewal.
The former head of the state Gaming Board has filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, claiming he and his aides retaliated against her when she refused to carry out orders she considered illegal. […]
The lawsuit accuses the Blagojevich administration of docking Tamayo’s pay and taking away her job duties when she questioned the hiring of the Gaming Board’s legislative liaison and when she refused to break state law and turn over confidential documents relating to casino profits. […]
Tamayo’s suit alleges that Blagojevich’s office hired Linda Freveletti, a sister-in-law of former state Democratic Party chief Gary LaPaille, as the Gaming Board’s legislative liaison in 2005 without the board’s authorization.
When Tamayo expressed concern that Freveletti never reported to her and was a “ghost employee,” her suit alleges that Hamer transferred oversight of Freveletti’s time records to his office.
Tamayo’s suit also says she was warned of “dire personal consequences” if she didn’t release secret casino profit information to the Blagojevich administration as it was looking to add slot machines at casinos.
We haven’t done this in a while and I’ve lost count again, so let’s use this thread to list the number of federal, state and local investigations of the Blagojevich administration.
- One Man Can Make A Difference - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 9:33 am:
Questions: Who will represent the state in this lawsuit, the Illinois Attorney General, a Special Assistant Attorney General, or a Special Attorney General? Or will the Governor’s Office hire an outside lawfirm as was done in the recent settled discrimination case of the DNR employee?
Should not her allegations also be investigated by the Governor’s Executive Inspector General as she is alleging improprieties in the Governor’s Office? If an investigation determines that her lawsuit has merit, ETHICALLY, it should be resolved, settled in court or out of court.
This is the right way to do it!
- Limerick - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 11:45 am:
Blago’s term is an nefarious lie.
Hopefully, indictments are nigh.
But “How many have inquired�??
Less is required
To count all of the stars in the sky.
- Anon - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 11:53 am:
I suspect you’ll have a number of lawyers getting paid by the State of Illinois in this circumstance. The Attorney General’s office could represent the administration, unless for some reason her office declines representation in which case outside counsel will be hired.
I wouldn’t be surprised if each of the Governor, Hamer and Monk all have their own individual attorneys. I haven’t looked at the lawsuit, but I suspect Ms. Tamayo may be going after some or all of these folks in their individual capacities in addition to in their role as state officials. (That generally gets a bureaucrat’s attention - when someone goes after their personal assets in addition to attempting to obtain damages from the State.)
My impression of Ms. Tamayo from my dealings with her over the years is that she is someone with credibility. She was at the Gaming Board long before the current administration came into power.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 12:25 pm:
The answer to your quesiton is 14.
- Cassandra - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 1:00 pm:
Well, I don’t know. Blago did give Tamayo the benefit of the doubt by keeping her on as a Ryan holdover. Could be competence, could be ethnicity, who knows. And then he apparently promoted her.
When you take high-level cabinet positions, you’re expected to go along with the program.
That’s the job. Maybe Ms. Tamayo didn’t understand that. Many do not. And she was given far more benefit of the political doubt that
scores of Ryan appointees tossed unceremoniously out the door.
Of course, losing that six figure government salary plus exorbitant health and pension benefits is enough to make anybody file a lawsuit.
I think we need to wait and hear the other side of the story on this one.
- One Man Can Make A Difference - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 1:17 pm:
- Anon - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 11:53 am:
The process of hiring outside lawfirms to represent the state or state officials is to avoid conflicts of interests.
As the Illinois Attorney General, Lisa Madigan wears two hats. Her job is to constitutionally represent state employees in all legal matters, but simultaneously she owes a constitutional obligation to the tax paying citizens to ensure that their civil rights aren’t violated.
How does the state avoid conflicts? By the Illinois Attorney General recusing herself and hiring an outside lawfirm to represent the state. In the past, Special Assistant Attorney General’s have been appointed to represent the state; the lawsuit brought by the video game industry in which the state lost.
However, a Special Assistant Attorney General does not negate the Attorney General’s conflicts of interest as he or she as a Special Assistant Attorney General is still under the jurisdiction and authority of the Illinois Attorney General. In fact, an Assistant Attorney General derives his or her powers from the Illinois Attorney General. If the Illinois Attorney General for some reason cannot act, neither can her Assistants. A Special Attorney General can be appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction. See the Illinois Attorney General own opinion below:
http://www.ag.state.il.us/opinions/2004/04-001.pdf
This is an issue that needs to be reviewed by the state. My suggestion is that the state should appoint a Special Attorney General to defend the state when the Attorney General has conflicts of interest. This way the Illinois Attorney General is totally removed from the conflicts.
In addition, the Governor’s office should not have the authority to hire an outside lawfirm for any reason. They must consult the Illinois Attorney General with regards to their legal representation and the Attorney General should be the deciding factor of how the state will defend any lawsuit brought by any citizen; resolve the lawsuit or appoint a Special Attorney General to defend the lawsuit. In which case, the Special Attorney General could decide to investigate the allegations and not simply defend them.
- Little Egypt - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 1:26 pm:
Anon, can you be a little more specific and list SOME of them? I think we all need to be reminded and often as the election nears.
- Big Mike - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 1:47 pm:
so long as our power hungry U.S. Attorney still thinks he is god, every governor will have to deal with investigations.
- In The Know - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 2:13 pm:
Jeannette Taymayo is a bitter woman with an axe to grind because she was never appointed to be the permanent Administrator of the Gaming Board. Before everyone blames it on this administration - neither the former Board nor the current Board would give her the job. She’s out for revenge, end of story.
- anon - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 2:34 pm:
Top level administrators are expected to support and implement the Governor’s policy decisions. That is all any Governor and Governor’s Office staffers have a right to expect.
More importantly, top administrators have an obligation to the public to protect the constitution and follow all applicable laws in the administration of their office/department. The are obligated to do this even when it means they must tell the Governor’s Office “NO” in order to follow the law. To do otherwise is a sure formula for corruption on a grand scale.
This suit may tell us more about the problems with Blagojevich’s Administration than some of the other issues making bigger media headlines.
- Anon - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 2:49 pm:
In the know: I’m not in the know, but I do know this - “Bitter woman with an axe to grind?” - your sexist show is slipping, my dear.
- Just the Facts - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 3:46 pm:
Cassandra - Blago didn’t have a choice at first, in the matter of whether Ms. Tamayo would be retained. The Administrator of the Gaming Board is chosen by, and reports to, the Board. When the Board was established the terms of the Board membrs were staggered in order to attempt to insulate the Board from partisanship. (At least that’s the theory) It was only after Blago was able to make his own appointments to the Gaming Board and acquire of a majority of the Board that was beholden to him that he had influence over the Board.
The Board is also only quasi-independent. The state revenue department has an oversight and budgetary role.
As to legislative liasons, the Governors office always appoints legislative liasons. In the prior administration I believe it was some relative of Irv Smith who was the Gaming Board legislative liason.
In the Know - As to Ms. Tamayo being bitter, there might be some basis for bitterness on the part of someone who was attempting to play by the rules and was frustrated. Apparently, everyone posting today seems to have forgotten the recent revelations about the first legislative liason thrust upon the Board by the Governor’s office. According to the press reports, the first liason was close to a certain Mr. Ronan who was a registered lobbyist for one of the riverboat casinos that is regulated by the Board. I suspect that any principled administrator would be have reacted as did Ms. Tamayo in attempting to oppose such an appointment.
In addition to having the issues involving the legislative liasons going on was also presiding over the staff at the time some of the most intense aspects of the 10th casino license were being litigated. In addition, there was a period of a year or two where the Governor, neglected/refused (you pick the appropriate word-you claim to be in the know) to appoint a sufficient number of Gaming Board members for the Board to conduct day-to-day operations. Remember the period of time when the Board lacked a simple quorum. As a result, day-to-day regulatory matters involving the Board ground to a halt.
Bitter? Perhaps with good reason. I’m surprised she put up with all of that nonsense for as long as she did.
Finally to Cassandra - don’t always assume the worst. There is generally more to the story than the press or folks like “In the Know” either know, or care to divulge.
- limerick II - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 4:20 pm:
There once was a Guv named Rod,
About whom no one thought it was odd,
That Republicans got fired,
While state contracts were wired,
And it was “coincidence” his pals got the nod.
- Minion - Friday, Jun 9, 06 @ 4:24 pm:
Instead of “Reform and Renewal” it should be,
“inane and inept”
Does anyone know of any Democrats for Topinka organizations out there I can get in touch with?
- Anon - Sunday, Jun 11, 06 @ 8:31 am:
You’ve all missed the point! This suit is a nuclear bomb that has detonated in the heart of Blago’s Administration. Tamayo was one of the main reasons why the 10th casino license will never go to Rosemont. She knows where all the dirt is. The Feds will be paying close attention to this one.
- jaffe's nephew - Sunday, Jun 11, 06 @ 10:33 am:
i don’t know anyone who has worked w/tamayo who would consider her credible.
- woody - Sunday, Jun 11, 06 @ 1:49 pm:
One would assume that in the case w/Ms. Tamayo if she were a good manager she would not have all these allegations again and again. Retaliation? I doubt it. Sounds like finger-pointing to me.
- Respectfully submitted - Monday, Jun 12, 06 @ 8:06 am:
Jeannette Tamayo is a legal professional who’s a leader in government reform, strict gambling regulation, compulsive gambling interdiction, a well-respected trial attorney, an excellent administrator, credible and honest above all.
- Trooper - Monday, Jun 12, 06 @ 9:26 am:
I worked with Jeannette Tamayo. Jeannette Tamayo was an great asset for the Illinois Gaming Board. Jeannette Tamayo lead the fight for regulatory oversight of the gambling industry and law enforcement.