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Apparently, we were one bureaucratic level short of an answer
Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Gov. Rod Blagojevich can’t explain his administration’s shifting accounts of when he implemented a hiring process that ruled out possible political considerations. Abby couldn’t provide any answers, either. UPDATE: Listen to the governor’s response here. [mp3 file] “My story’s always been the same,” the guv said. His original story was that they were hiring for coded civil service jobs without regard to who was applying for them. That story was disproved weeks ago. UPDATE 2: From the AP: Still, Blagojevich said he’s not worried about questions surrounding their activities. “Absolutely no wrongdoing has been leveled at anybody who is close to me,” he said in an interview with Chicago’s WGN-TV. UPDATE: People, that’s a shadow on his face.
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The governor first said today that his 
- Take a Bite Out of Crime, Junior G-Man!! - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 5:53 pm:
I asked my dog. He did not know either.
- Ashur Odishoo - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 5:56 pm:
Who’s on first, no who’s on second, what’s on first, no what’s on third, who’s on first?
- Bob - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 6:14 pm:
Rod tosses the ball to Brad, Brad tosses the ball to Abby. What can Abby do with the ball? She already is sounding like Baghdad Bob
- So-Called "Austin Mayor" - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:06 pm:
Haven’t you heard?
Each Blago misdeed that is exposed proves that Blago’s system of corruption busting is working.
I can feel it tingling!
- Shelbyville - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:12 pm:
Is Tusk really that unshaven? I know a former chief of staff that would have
- Shelbyville - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:13 pm:
oops - had a screaming fit if a young man showed up looking like that.
- Roadkill - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:35 pm:
Rod, Brad and Abby kind of remind me of Abbott and Costello and “Who’s on first?”
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:44 pm:
Has anyone even bothered to ask Topinka if she’s even attempted to put in a blind hiring system for her state hires like Blago has? Certainly doesn’t look like it. 100% of the state hires in the Treasurer’s office seem to be political. How many federal investigations might she have? Topinka would definitely never tell us the truth on this score.
And is her Inspector General even doing anything? At least Blago’s is.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:47 pm:
“… is close to me,â€
I bet that’s true. NOBODY is close to Rod. EVERYBODY goes under the bus when Rod gets caught in a duplicious situation. Or is it triplicious or quadplicious, or…. well, um. you know, you get the idea.
- Little Egypt - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:48 pm:
“Absolutely no wrongdoing has been leveled at anybody who is close to me.†What does he consider a subpoena to be?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 7:52 pm:
Nice try 7:44.
Vlado(I love that moniker)the Impaler is skewered by his own words. Gee, I wonder if we will hear more about him saying one thing one day and other things on other days? Pick an issue, the words are there.
- Cassandra - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:00 pm:
The voters are going to tune out on all this Rutan manipulation stuff.
Most voters don’t realize what a total scam state jobs, Rutan and non-Rutan are. Overpaid, underworked, no accountability, no evaluations, lush pensions and health care most Illinoisians
can only dream of. The voters are paying for what is essentially a welfare state for government employees, except there are no time limits. State employment, for the most part, is
secure as long as the employee wants to stay on and is breathing.
With this breathtaking lack of ignorance of the ultimate taxpayer scam, state employment, why would any voters pay attention to a few hiring irregularities on the part of Repubs or Dems.
The two candidates cancel each other out, given Repub history and Democratic ongoing violation of Rutan.
- El Conquistador - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:02 pm:
Hey Rich, ask the Gov’s office about “the committee”. This group opertated certainly in ‘03 and ‘04 supposedly determining which jobs should be filled. But, they were much more interested in who got what job. They met monthly or more often to to pick connected people for jobs, internships, etc. No one got hired without approval from this group. Interested in who were the members…
- Really? - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:04 pm:
There was political influence in state hiring? In Illinois? Really? Can’t be? I guess for 26 years under the GOP everybody got their jobs based on merit and ability?
- El Conquistador - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:10 pm:
It’s illegal. Ask Sorich.
- Governor Blagojevich - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:18 pm:
Cassandra’s misinformed, bitter and irrelevant as usual. Moreover, painfully unaware of the riggers of a responsible career in public service. Sounds like Cassandra didn’t make the Gov’s list…
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:18 pm:
POA has been outed:
Brad “Planet Of the Apes” Tusk.
BTW, Cassandra. “This Rutan manipulation stuff” was a pretty big deal when Democrats brought the lawsuit that resulted in the Rutan law. No dulicity with you, tho. And don’t ever forget, your boy Rod specifically said he would change the way business is done. But, of course, in your mind there is no duplicity with that either.
- Tom DeLay's Mom - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:36 pm:
Governor Blagojevich’s response to Mike Flannery’s pointed question about the Administration’s ever-changing story on hiring practices:
“Listen Mike, the buck stops right over there with Bradley Tusk, right Brad?”
To which, Mr. Tusk responds:
“No Governor, that’s not quite right - it actually stops right over there with Ms. Ottenhoff.”
I’m sorry, they don’t pay state press flaks enough dough to put up with this kind of three-ring circus! My heart goes out to Ms. Ottenhoff. That’s a rough gig - next drink is on me!
- anon. - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:43 pm:
That isn’t whiskers …it’s camoflogue paint…he’s been hiding from the “federalies”
- Disgusted - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:48 pm:
Once again Cassandra lumps all state employees together, good and bad. There are some goldbrickers in all employment situations, not just state government. However, I resent being called lazy, overpaid and not accountable. I worked most of my life as a secretary, putting up with the whims of lawyers and doctors, no mean feat, I might add. At 42, I quit my job and went to university, completing 3 degrees in 5 years. I worked in the public arena, then in a university setting and now for state government. I am there everyday, unless I am really sick. I have not been there 30 years, doing nothing and making so-called “big money.” I’ve learned everyone’s job in my area and back them all up and I am at a dead end with no place to promote into. Such is the way of life for someone who works for a living, with constant ridicule from people who aren’t there to see what really happens. And when this administration wants something, we have to drop what we are doing for the taxpayers of this state to take care of what he wants handled for his latest initiative, which translates to his latest big idea to promote his re-election. We are all at his beck and call and heaven help us is we don’t jump fast enough. Try working with that every day.
- Anon. - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:02 pm:
annon. 8:43 - absolutely hilarious.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:05 pm:
Disgusted,
Cassandra’s just trying to yank your chain, and apparently she did a good job. You ought to be used to it by now. Who knows, she might just be a self-loathing state employee herself. If I were you, I’d just thank her for helping pay your big fat salary and fund your big fat pension.
- Buck Flagojevich - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:05 pm:
CASSANDRA.
It is time for your weekly reminder. You know very little about what you speak, so, SHUT UP!!! Better yet. GO AWAY!!! I put in 16 years working for the state. I resent your attempt to lump all state workers into lazy, do nothing people. You are so wrong. Where do you get your information? From Blago’s appointees? BYW. Did I mention I WORKED for the state for 16 years.
- 'The Gay Governor' - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:08 pm:
Shelbyville,
It looks like that’s a (light-related) shadow on Tusk’s face. To his credit, it may not be stubble.
However, his standard business atire is somewhat horrifying. It consists of this: suit, over shirt, absolutely no tie, top two buttons undone, and — horror of horrors! — no undershirt.
So yes, if you happen to sit through a meeting with him, or you just bump into him at the JRTC or the Capitol, then you can enjoy the sight of glistening, and completely hair-free, and stark white, chest.
Lovely.
- Captplaid - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:09 pm:
Politics as ussual!
It’s not Blago’s fault the best and brightest are friends of Blago. He has always surrounded himself with smart people. So what is the surprise these superior people are know applying for state jobs.
I wish you people would quit this far right conspiracy. Maybe if you quit griping and got off your rearend you could get hired for stat jobs, like friends of Rod.
- Gregor - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:24 pm:
From that picture:
Rod=Freddy
Abby=Daphnie
Rebecca=Velma
I’m still trying to figure out if Brad is Shaggy or Scooby.
Rod’s last speech as Fritz hauls him to court:
“And I would’ve gotten away with it, if it weren’t for those meddling kids, er, Reporters!”
Zoinks!
- Buck Flagojevich - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:35 pm:
Captplaid.
Your typing isn’t too bad for a wasted ignoramus. Check back in when PFitz starts to hand out the report cards.
- JohnR - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:41 pm:
Maybe Bradley deflected Press questions to the press secretary because that is her job.
just a guess…
- state worker A - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:53 pm:
The very first post had me rolling with laughter. Maybe I should ask my dog also and I’m sure my dog will tell me to go ask the fish and the fish will tell me to go ask the puppy. Yeah that’s it, the puppy has the answer. If only I understood puppy talk – will someone get in touch with the ‘Dog Whisperer’?
Seriously, Mike Flannery from the CBS – channel 2 news made a comment at the very end of the newscast that spoke volumes. After he summed up his story on Blagojevich, the other female newscaster made a comment that “maybe this will be the end of that.†She is referring to questions on the hiring scandal. Mike states “no, it’s not!â€
- One Who Knows - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 9:54 pm:
Guys and girls, save the rants that are based on your mere speculation. Sit back and watch what unfolds. Then everybody can comment as they see fit. I assure you that you all will have plenty to comment on. Yes, I know that you can jump on me for throwing things out there without substance, but for now, it’s all you get. The truth will come out, and the bus will not be derailed by the speedbumps being thrown in front of it. It will reach its destination.
- prairiestatedem - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 10:20 pm:
Apparently they are equally horrible at Running an honest accountable government, defrauding the people of Illinois and Trying to “Spin” the cover up
wonder if our little superstar Bradley will wear a tie to his indicitment to look more dignified?
- Concerned Voter - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 10:30 pm:
Cassandra wrote Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 8:00 pm:
“Most voters don’t realize what a total scam state jobs, … Overpaid, underworked, no accountability, no evaluations, lush pensions and health care most Illinoisians can only dream of.
Okay, overpaid, well I know many state employees who earn between 25 and 40 thousand a year, not a king’s ransom. After 20 years, my salary is aprox. $40,000. ALso we do not get cost of living raises every year (like many high level state officials do), only when our contract gives them to us. Also fyi, realise that between 10-15 years ago we went without a cost of living raise, and the state started paying our monthly retirement amount (our overall salary did not increase, what any future cost of living rasies would be based on, but our take home did go up some). We did get raises during our last contract, but some of those were offset by us having to start paying our retirement contributions again, and increased healthcare costs.
Underworked, many agencies are asking employees to do more with fewer employees.
No accountability/evaluations, most I know get evaluated once a year.
Also, a majority of state employees retirement is not “lush”. Most of them have their pension calculated at 1.67% per year of service, about 2.2% or 2.5% maybe if they have a dangerous job (State Police, Prison guards). I don’t know how much the legislative or judicial branches get for pensions. So, for example you could work for 30 years in many jobs, and only be eligible for a pension of not quite 50% of your salary.
On healthcare, yes we get healthcare, we contribute towards it. If you want to go to any doctor/hospital of your choice it’s more, if you go HMO it’s less per month. Our contributions vary depending on our salary, depending on how much you make, determines how much additional you have to pay. I switched to Hmo insurance because it was going to cost me about $200 a month for just health insurance for me, spouse, and 1 child. The HMO saved almost $100 a month but we had to go to a different doctor as ours stopped taking the state’s Quality Care Plan.
I do my job, I try to do it to the best of my ability, I take some pride in it, as do many others. Yes there are slugs who work for the state, just like there are slugs who work in pretty much every other job in the country, or probably even where you work, Cassandra.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 10:55 pm:
Concerned Voter,
If I were you, I wouldn’t bother trying to reason with Cassandra. Just tell her you are busy counting your piles of cash that you “earned” while sleeping at your desk, and thank her for funding your big fat state pension that will rival Bill Gates’ fortune.
- pike - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:04 pm:
much, much more to come!blago will be on fire within 60 days
- 'The Gay Governor' - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:11 pm:
Tom Delay’s Mom,
Ottenhoff and the other flacks are paid plenty. Save your empathy for somebody who deserves it — like the taxpayers, who with each day under this governor, take it harder in the shorts.
What’s truly unfortunate is not that Ottenhoff must catch the ball of poop when Blago/Tusk roll it downhill (as I said, she is sufficiently compensated for that), but that the taxpayers get stuck with the bill for this circus.
Neither Blago nor his chief deputy nor his chief flack can explain exactly why they have all changed their stories about how they may or may not have skirted a federal decree limiting the influence of politics over hiring.
They babble and babble and babble some more. They dodge this question, dodge that question.
They roll out a fat contract to a favorite campaign donor. They jog a few laps around the North Side. They kiss some babies and smile for the TV cameras.
Then they go home and — shamlessly — collect a check from you and me.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:27 pm:
“Ebarrassed” - which story were you pointing to?
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:27 pm:
Is anyone else tired of seeing the Chessire Cat, Abby Ottenhoff on tv defending this goof?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:41 pm:
Cassandra, did a state worker run over your dog when you were a child? How about coming up with a new angle?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:54 pm:
So much for “testicular verility.” Apparently, Ottenhoff has more than Blagojevich and Tusk. Atleast — according to the AP report — she attempted to answer the question. These cowards need to stop hiding behind Ottenhoff. It’s unseemly.
As for Rod’s assertion that “Absolutely no wrongdoing has been leveled at anybody who is close to me,” what the heck do you call your Chief of Staff, political campaign manager, and old college buddy? An aquaintance? ‘Cause it sounds like he was looking at job applications that had people’s names on them well into ‘04.
Take a lesson from Harrison Ford as “Jack Ryan” in ‘Clear and Present Danger.’ You don’t try to throw your friends under the bus, you hold them tight, then there’s no story. I could be wrong, but I don’t think anyone has ever been voted out of office for standing by their friend.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Jul 25, 06 @ 11:55 pm:
So much for “testicular verility.” Apparently, Ottenhoff has more than Blagojevich and Tusk. Atleast — according to the AP report — she attempted to answer the question. These cowards need to stop hiding behind Ottenhoff. It’s unseemly.
As for Rod’s assertion that “Absolutely no wrongdoing has been leveled at anybody who is close to me,” what the heck do you call your Chief of Staff, political campaign manager, and old college buddy? An aquaintance? That’s got to make Lon Monk feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
- 'The Gay Governor' - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 12:03 am:
‘Chessire Cat’ … I love it!
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 12:05 am:
Rich - How about that Peraica poll? Do you believe it? Have you seen the crosstabs?
- Criminal Enterprise Called Illinois - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 12:10 am:
Someone tell me why John Gianulis is escaping unscathed! Or, isn’t he? He was the go-to guy for state jobs as well. Doesn’t seem fair!
- Downstate Deacon - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 12:34 am:
CriminalEnterprise -
Don’t forget Sam Flood, another patronage (oh, excuse me, we don’t use that term anymore, since we’re the reform crew) chief.
- chinman - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 7:20 am:
YDD-
Bradley is in charge. He says who lives or dies.
- Danimal - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 7:58 am:
Yea YDD, why on earth woud you want your press spokesman to handle a press question…that’s madness!
- DOWNSATE - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 8:42 am:
Sounds like they are trying to hide a up coming problem
- chinman - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 8:57 am:
danimal-
do you understand the type of fellonies they are trying to hide. I do. several of my friends lives were ruined by the ryan cronies cutting bait and letting them twist. nobody ratted soon enough to get a good deal. it appears the blago people are not making that mistake. abby abby abby your back to the wall and face in the pillow.
- Walking Wounded - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 9:17 am:
I’m a little late on this post, but I’m going to try to appease Cassandra. All right, Cassandra, all of us State employees are worthless, overpaid, lazy political hacks. We’re all going to quit our jobs because you finally outed us. So the next time it snows and you try to drive the highways, you can feel better knowing how much money the state has saved by getting rid of the snow plow drivers. When you slide off the road and need a trooper, well, even better that the state saved more money by laying off all those bums. Want to talk to someone about your driver license? Whoops! Think of the cash flow the state has now since the State banished all those no good DMV hacks.
Sure glad Cassandra caught on to the conspiracy!
- Bill - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 9:23 am:
It sounds like YDD got turned down for the state job he applied for. Sour grapes!!!!
- Timbuktu - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 10:30 am:
This response speaks volumes regarding political hiring.
“Well, I don’t know. I can’t speak to that,” Blagojevich said at an event in Rolling Meadows yesterday.
Does his line of crap ever end?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 10:52 am:
Danimal — Why should The Deputy Governor handle the question? Well, first, because his boss, the Governor, gave him the question to handle. Secondly, because it’s Tusk’s job to talk to the press too, something he never seemed to have a problem doing before. Third, because I have a sneaking suspicion that Tusk actually knows the answers to the questions about hiring, since he is the Deputy Governor, while Ottenhoff is not involved in the hiring process at all. And finally, because punting the question makes him look weak and like he’s got something to hide.
For the record, this would’ve been my answer:
“We make every effort to answer media inquiries as best we can, and that’s what we’re doing here. Obviously, the AP story came as a shock to us, and now we’re reviewing and re-reviewing every scrap of paper to make sure we know exactly what happened, and when we’re that certain, we’ll have answers for you. In the meantime, we’re focused on delivering on the priorities that are important to middle class families in llinois: expanding and protecting health care coverage, strengthening education, and creating good-paying jobs.”
- Timbuktu - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 11:16 am:
Yellow Dog Democrat
Your obviously much smarter than Bradley.
Not only did he look weak and like he’s got something to hide, he look like he hadn’t slept in weeks and that he was probably planning a trip to some foreign country that won’t extradite him back to the United States to face the inevitable.
- Wumpus Extremus Maximus - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 1:18 pm:
BRadley should also get a neck tie.
- Minion - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 2:16 pm:
Bradley shows once again that he is completely unqualified for the position he holds and should have stayed on the East Coast where he could hob nob with celebrity politicians. It does indeed sound like Blago is ready to throw ol’ Brad overboard.
Once again, Blago’s tendancy to hire out of state advisors is paying negative dividends. What a disaster.
- Buck Flagojevich - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 3:22 pm:
Who let Bill back? Oy!!!
- Eliot Ness - Wednesday, Jul 26, 06 @ 6:46 pm:
At this point, Bradley needn’t worry about the tie. We’ll relieve him of that, his belt, and shoelaces right after the cuffs go on.