Reform and Renewal marches ever forward
Monday, Oct 23, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Copley has bad new for the governor:
Springfield attorney Mary Lee Leahy must give a deposition in an Illinois Department of Transportation wrongful-firing lawsuit, and the questioning will not be limited to the one agency, a federal judge ruled Friday.
In a setback to the state, Judge Byron Cudmore said Leahy must answer questions about her work for more than a dozen state agencies during the six months she was a contractor for Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration. Leahy, best known for getting the U.S. Supreme Court to outlaw most political patronage through the Rutan decision, was employed to review state hiring practices and identify unnecessary jobs.
Seventeen former IDOT employees are suing the state, claiming they were illegally fired by the Democratic administration because they are Republicans. Lawyers for those employees want to question Leahy about personnel activities in the early days of the Blagojevich administration. […]
“Plaintiffs allege that the defendants participated in an illegal, statewide scheme to fire supporters of the Republican (George) Ryan administration in violation of the employees’ First Amendment rights,” Cudmore wrote. “Leahy’s work with state officials outside of (IDOT) may be relevant to this claim or may lead to relevant evidence related to this claim.”
And Finke finds more taxpayer subsidies of the governor’s campaign fund.
Last week, Peoria resident DIANE FREEBURG received an envelope from the Department of Revenue. In it was a brief message saying that all Illinoisans who filed tax returns were getting information about prescription drug assistance. (It was only those over 65.) The drug information was contained in a separate letter in the envelope from, ta-daa, Blagojevich. We know this because the letterhead says “Office of the Governor. Rod Blagojevich, Governor.” Just to get the point across, he also signed the letter.
“I believe that everyone deserves access to good, affordable health care,” writes the governor, sounding like one of his paid TV commercials. “I also believe that no senior citizen should ever have to worry about how to pay for the high cost of prescription drugs.”
The letter then explains the state’s prescription drug assistance program for seniors.
The Department of Revenue mailed the letter, but the production originated with the Department on Aging, said Revenue spokesman MIKE KLEMENS. For the record, 329,000 letters were mailed at a cost of $103,000. Aging picked up the cost.
Blagojevich spokesman GERARDO CARDENAS said the letters were mailed now because people already enrolled in the program must renew by Dec. 31. Also, November is open enrollment for Medicare, and seniors will be focused on their possible need for prescription drug assistance.
The intended recipient died in January.
- annon. - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:15 am:
Yikes !!!!!!! Way to stay up to date on those enrolled. Will this guy ever stop & did they ever think it wouldn’t get out ????
- Tessa - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:26 am:
I was so happy when I saw how the federal judge ruled on Leahy. I think her testimony will be very enlightening. Too bad it won’t happen before the election.
And I wonder why Blago didn’t answer the Tribune’s question - “have you hired a criminal defense attorney?”. He’s going to go under his own bus still denying he did anything wrong.
- Bill - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 7:32 am:
Just another example of good government…keeping the taxpayers informed about new and innovative programs…money well spent!
- schroedk - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 8:24 am:
Bill, here’s me rolling my eyes at just about everything you say. Like others have said, I have to admire your dedication to a cause, even though the cause is nothing more than continuing 4 years of self-serving, borderline (or overt, we’ll see) illegal activity. Every crook has his admirers.
- He Makes Ryan look like a saint - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 8:58 am:
Rich, I have an even better one for you. A couple of weeks ago, we got a letter sent from the Exec. Mansion in Springfield To the parents of…
It was a congratulations on our new baby note from the Gov with an insert from Patti that talks about the benefits of Breast feeding.
That is al nice and good, but our baby is 14 months old……coincidence?????
- Wumpus Diva - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 9:37 am:
He Makes Ryan look like a saint- I received, as well as another poster, the same thing and the same timeframe. My wife laughed at the idea of breast feeding a toddler w/8 teeth.
- Country Girl - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 9:40 am:
Just one more example of campaigning on the taxpayer’s dollar. The timing of these letters is very intersting. Hmmmmm??
- VanillaMan - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 9:53 am:
Creepy and pathetic.
Blagojevich sends dead people more messages than Jonathan Edwards. The funny part is that both Rod and Jonathan get PAID for doing it!
- Tessa - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 10:41 am:
Even better, my son got a letter from what used to be Public Aid, about the A-l-l Kids program, congradulating him as a parent for having his family enrolled (we’re not), and going on and on about the benefits. Uh, the boy is covered under my benefits and I’m a state employee. We don’t use this program and wouldn’t. Let’s just say if, at his age, my son had a family, there’d be some serious issues with him in middle school.
It was a long letter touting the Gov’s doing wiht this program. I felt it was a campaign letter, because of the way it was worded. It came in September. Someone is screwing up. This family, my son, isn’t enrolled, yet we/he got a letter about it, thanking us/him for taking part.
Brother. I hope Leahy tells everything she knows.
- Mr. Ethics - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 10:45 am:
Spending money on stuff like this, fine if his name wasn’t on it. Reread your ethics test Governor.
- Anon - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 11:10 am:
So, Bill, do you work for Blago’s state or campaign office?
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 11:21 am:
Anon 11:10 - since we’ve never been able to tell the difference between the two, I’d guess both.
- Little Egypt - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 1:39 pm:
Dear, dear Bill. Here’s a news flash! IT’S YOUR MONEY TOO THAT GOVERNOT HAIRDO IS WASTING!!! I don’t care what your political preference may be, there should be a shut down on what an elected official can send out with State paid postage under the guise of “informing the public”. I believe that period should begin 1 year before their term expires. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that is mailed out with their name from that point on must be paid for with campaign funds. Plain and simple. Cut and dried. There are mailing that must continue to go out from various state agencies and that can still happen. Just remove the incumbant’s name from anywhere on the mailing.
- One Man Can Make A Difference - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 5:11 pm:
- Mr. Ethics - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 10:45 am:
Spending money on stuff like this, fine if his name wasn’t on it. Reread your ethics test Governor.
Mr. Ethics is absolutely correct. There is nothing wrong with the mailings only if they didn’t contain his name.
And I’ve really never defended anything from Rod Blagojevich’s administration. But the mailings are perfectly legal absent “Rod Blagojevich, Governor”
- anoniiiiiiii - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 5:46 pm:
My deceased father received the same mailing which Ms Freeberg did. Dad passed in February.
Yes, there was a separate letter included from the GOV. It sure looked like a political mailing to me!
- Huh? - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:10 pm:
Aren’t there laws against this type of shananagins?
- Martha Mitchell - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 6:42 pm:
I’ve been talking about this on this blog for a while now. Glad to see that the recipients are recognizing it for what it is - campaign literature.
Word on the government street is that he as spent from 5 - 12 million on All Kids propaganda. Imagine how many kid’s exams that would pay for.
- cynically anonymous - Monday, Oct 23, 06 @ 7:39 pm:
What I want to know is why the Govenor’s Office feels compelled, no, ENTITLED, to use postage at other agencies to send out materials that are on his letterhead promoting his programs. Is it to make it look like the governor’s office is saving money? He’s been doing this stuff since day one. He has got to go!