Chauffeur scandal continues
Friday, Mar 2, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Buried way down in this AP story about the DHS chauffeurs, is how Human Services Secretary Carol Adams’ driver was hired…
Davis, who was paid $84,600 before resigning in January to wage a failed campaign for Chicago alderman, was hired under a separate exemption that required approval by the Civil Service Commission. The commission grants hiring exceptions for posts directors want to fill with close associates because they handle sensitive information and must be loyal to the boss.
According to Civil Service Commission records, the rationale the agency gave the commission in March 2003 to apply the exemption to Davis’ job was that the position would include managing “all aspects of the department’s response to and support of the governor,” as well as coordinating DHS activities with work force development advisory boards.
Sounds kinda inflated to me, but I’m sure there will be legislative hearings on this matter.
* Meanwhile, both the Tribune and the Sun-Times editorialized on the situation today. Tribune:
Estes was an overpaid chauffeur and gofer whose job credentials included a GED and a stint as a campaign worker for Gov. Rod Blagojevich. His boss and his boss’ boss think that’s a perfectly acceptable use of taxpayer dollars, which is especially galling since they are running an agency that provides social services to poor people.
It’s not at all surprising that Estes didn’t think twice about borrowing the taxpayers’ car. At the Department of Human Services, “misusing state property” may be a firing offense, but it is also a way of life.
* Sun-Times:
You may think there are more than enough reality shows to go around, but we have an idea for one we think would be a popular addition to the trend. We haven’t come up with a name for it yet, but we know who the stars will be: certain pampered bureaucrats in state agencies and the people they have working for them who, unbeknownst to taxpayers, make ridiculous amounts of money for driving their bosses around, running errands or doing other menial tasks.
- Shallow Pharnyx - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 9:31 am:
Where do I apply??
- He Makes Ryan look like a saint - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 9:32 am:
Rich, One question….How does this differ from Pages Running errands for the Legislators (both house and senate)?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 9:39 am:
Answer: Pages don’t make $70,000 to $80,000 a year. And every legislator doesn’t have one.
- Wile Coyote - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 9:40 am:
How can this be compared to teenage legislative pages? DHS is a bloated dumping ground.
- Jake P - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 9:51 am:
Hmmm….I had that idea for the reality show a while back, now. “Bag Boys”.
;)
- Papa Legba - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 9:55 am:
Peel back the layers at ANY state agency and you will find this type of abuse and infantile behavior. This group can really abuse the system.
Lets see. DHS is a bloated dumping ground. DCEO is a bloated dumping ground. How many more agencies don’t bother to cover the fact that they are depositories for Blago’s donors toadies?
- Cassandra - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 10:00 am:
Still, PajamaGate (I think some other state already had Chauffeurgate) does help round out one’s understanding of how connected Democrats get
state jobs in Illinois.
Ms. Wertz’s testimony at some deposition was published by the CST yesterday, and she gave an extended discourse on something called 4D(3)
exemptions. If she is correct, these are apparently state jobs for which one hires the lucky person first and then develops a job description. Mr. Estes was apparently a 4d3
exemption hire. In other words, this way of hiring people may sound sleazy and unethical but in Illinois, it’s right there in the Personnel Code. As Ms. Wertz pointed out, you don’t have to jump through all the hoops.
O, Cindi Canary, where are you?
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 10:29 am:
Our State is in the Red and yet our elected officals seem not to mind nor care enough to “peel back the layers” of our state agencies and get rid of “Blago’s donors toadies” and any other unqualified, unnecessary employees.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 10:30 am:
I agree that the drivers were/are very over-paid. I also agree that from what I have heard Sec. Adams lied about the duties of the drivers.
However, I want to provide some defense of agencies using drivers for their director. One issue is maximizing the use of the director’s time. With a driver, the director can work while being driven from meeting to meeting which can be substantial with some of the long travel times in Illinois. The director also saves a lot of time by being dropped off and picked up. My sense is a person with equally high duties and responsibilities in the private sector will use drivers.
Second, the driver also provides some security for the director. There are a number of angry clients, contractors, employees and citizens out there. Think about the head of DCFS who took the kids away from a parent with mental issues and a history of violence.
Additionally, the drivers are going to hear private conversations and need to be trusted. This means they need to be Rutan exempt positions.
- Just Because - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 10:37 am:
I like what Cassandra said. to go one step further, in the deposition she said it went to the gov’s office for final approval. Which means someone there knew about the hiring and approved them. This kind of information could help defraties???
- Gene Parmesan - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 10:45 am:
How can anyone support a Gross Receipts Tax (or any other tax increase) when we pay driver’s with GED’s $70k to $80k? I’m ashamed of our government, and of the voters that continue to put these jokers in office.
- He Makes Ryan look like a saint - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 10:49 am:
Objective Dem–If the travel time is an issue, then MOVE TO SPRINGFIELD!!! If protection is the issue then State Police need to be contacted. I do not believe there is any state job that is that important that someone needs to hire a 70-80k per year driver so they can work while in transit. WHat this is about is someone who thinks they are above everyone else.
- Utility Infielder - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 11:13 am:
As Objective Dem points out, the concept is not unreasonable. It’s the compensation, especially in light of this weeks story of the experienced cook county prosecuters that got the ax and they make $63,500. So much for racking up those (law school) student loans.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 11:39 am:
In response to “He makes Ryan look like a saint”
First, the issue is not where they live. This is a large state and it takes a long time to travel from Chicago or Springfield to Quincy, Danville, Marion, the Quad cities or any other part of the state. While Springfield is geographically the center of the state and the state capital; the demographic center of the state is much closer to Chicago.
Yes it would be possible to have state troopers assigned. But state troopers are too expensive for the level of security typically needed.
I agree with your statement that no one needs a driver making $70 or $80K per year and I opened by saying I think the drivers were overpaid. I don’t know how much they should make but I would guess in $20s and no more than low $30s depending on the other duties.
My concern is that I have been paying attention long enough that I see an issue like this get whipped up in the media. Then you have a state legislator introduce legislation banning drivers. Then you have the director either wasting their time driving, filling up with gas, tracking down directions etc. or inappropriately using other staff to act as their driver.
People talk about treating government like a business and following private sector standards. My impression is having a driver is typical of a position at this level which requires the same level of travel.
- Anon. - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 12:10 pm:
I read Wertz’s deposition yesterday. I find it very disturbing that for someone making over $100,000 per year she couldn’t even talk a logical or complete sentence. English must not have been her strong subject.
- Skirmisher - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 12:37 pm:
I’m going to take exception to Ojective Dem’s opinion that all managers at that level have drivers! I was in State government for 35 years (IEPA), and in management most of that time. I never, ever in all those years even had so much as an agency director who had a private chauffer, much less anyone else. This is a mind-boggling abuse, quite frankly. However, DHS tops the list of agencies that are reputed to have incredible hiring abuses under this administration, with highly overpaid, unqualified “managerial” types apparently scraped out of the gutters. There are other agencies that have some serious personnel issues, but no agency has the reputation currently held by DHS.
- i d - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 12:39 pm:
SNAFU
- Just Because - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 12:57 pm:
I started with the state as a student worker. I did in times have to drive the director to places. It did and probably still does have value. I can say that the director did in fact work while in route. I was paid $125.00 a week. this also included my other duties.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 1:18 pm:
One point of clarification, I do not think every agency head needs a driver. In fact I think few do. But if anyone needs one, it is DHS. My reasoning is based on how many facilities they have in the state and how much time the agency head must spend going to meetings outside the office.
As you can see above I said “one” driver. Unless I saw strong justification, I don’t see an agency needing more than one driver. I was surprised to see that Ms. Adams and Ms. Wertz has personal drivers. One question I think the media should check out is how many other senior staff and division heads at DHS have “drivers.”
I don’t know about IEPA, but I would bet a dime on the dollar that the practice of having drivers is not new to this administration.
I also want to stress I’m not defending Carol Adams behavior. She authorized salaries for drivers that were way out of line. From what I have read, she lied to the legislature about the use of drivers. From what I have read, she has not handled the case of Ms. Wertz correctly.
- Truthful James - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 1:27 pm:
I do get a little weary of the whine — well the last administration did it — as if that made it OK.
- Former State Employee - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 1:50 pm:
What are the chances that Eugene Davis (Carole Adams’ driver) will get his state job back since his attempt to be an Alderman has failed. This was his second attempt at the Alderman slot, by the way. During the first campaign he was on the state payroll, but this time took a leave of absence.
- MIDSTATE - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 1:53 pm:
Snyder had a driver in IDOC, but it came after someone had been killed who was from statesville or pontiac correctional facality. He was in Chicago when he was murdered. I understand the Director of IDOC may need some protection at times. Snyder/Detella were the worst pair corrections has seen in the 25 years I have been in IDOC.
- Team Sleep - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 2:05 pm:
The sad thing is that this is not an isolated incident in government offices. Many offices - Congressional, state, municipal - use low-to-mid-level staffers to do work other than what their titles indicate. It’s pretty bad that Ms. Wertz took this to a whole new level and that she wasn’t smart enough to NOT get caught. She should have never asked Mr. Estes for, ahem…
In a way, it’s good that this went down now. Now the legislature and (hopefully) Lisa Madigan’s office will deal with the problem of unnecessary hiring exemptions and ban some of this waste. Blago is vulnerable and he needs to throw the hammer down ASAP.
- Not So Fast - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 2:18 pm:
I wonder how many of the constitutional officers have drivers. If they don’t need them, I don’t see why an agency director would.
- Matt - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 2:26 pm:
For those who work for DHS, this seems minute - even petty. EVERYONE knew that Eugene was the secretary’s driver…not that he was making $85k (wow) but it was no secret. Still, small potatoes compared to some of the shenanigans Carol & Co. have been pulling off for the last 4 years.
- Huh? - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 2:54 pm:
OD - If the concern is the amount to time that it takes to get around the state, all that had to be done was give IDOT a call to dispatch a plane or helocopter. The state of illinois has a fleet of planes for state business. Secondly there is a scheduled air service between chicago and springfield.
If the person’s time is soooooo valuable that a driver is needed, call a cab and put in for expenses.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:06 pm:
There are no excuses suitable for this situation.
It stinks and these people need to go immediately.
- Erstwhile State Employee - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:24 pm:
Objective Dem must be a plant for IDHS; or maybe he/she is one of Carol Adam’s or Teyonda Wertz’ relatives.
These kinds of behaviors at IDHS have been going on forever! Unqualified, unethical, unprofessional management people put in charge of rank and file employees who serve “at the management’s pleasure”; rather than serving the people of the State of Illinois.
This is not the way State employment should work. Even if you do a great job, if management doesn’t “like” you; it will not matter. You will be retaliated against, harassed, whatever hell management decides to put you through; and nothing will be done. IDHS just shifts the horrible management people around; kind of like the Catholic Church and the pedophile priests.
Even if you complain to their superiors in Springfield; especially if you have no “clout”, you will be ignored.
I’m thankful to the Sun-Times for bringing this travesty to light. There should be a housecleaning by Blagojevich, I thought he was different. Does anyone know who can stop this madness?
As for Carlos Estes, that’s how upper management treats employees who don’t do WHATEVER is demanded of them. I hope he wins his case; maybe that would be the start of “reform”.
- Why Not - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:24 pm:
What is next that someone should FIAO every small contract Ms. Wertz haneded out which working at DHS we understand she handed out several contracts to her friends and while someone does that get a list of all new hires since her term there. It is common knowledge that she hired a dozen of her close and ersonal friends. While the STate is over 2 Billion in the hole we pay drivers $85,000. I listened to WVON and being an Africian AMerican I resent Mellody Span Copper for saying it is. Some should check how she is getting fat off of the State.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:41 pm:
Huh?,
Do you honestly think it is cost-effective for an agency head to use helicopters or planes to get to meetings? And taxis are fine in downtown Chicago, but otherwise you can forget about them.
Your sarcastic reference to their time being “soooooo valuable” says a lot about your level of understanding. Yes, their time is “sooooo valuable.” I don’t have the hard numbers but the head of DHS oversees hundreds of facilities with thousands of employees and hundreds of millions (if not billions) in budget. They are dealing with very complex issues like the state’s mental health system. But rather than spending time on their real job, you would rather have them spend their time filling up their own gas tank and finding parking. While your at it, why not take away their secretary. These high and mighty people think they are too good to answer their own phones and open their own mail.
- Papa Legba - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:42 pm:
There is no justification for what is going on at the state with these “drivers”. As it was reported in the media this administration has racked up massive frequent flier miles (costs to tax payers) at an alarming rate. These over privileged employees fly most everywhere. They believe they are entitled to do so.
Objective Dem - Do you really think these overpaid, under qualified putzes are going to protect the person they are chauffeurs for?
Also. If State Troopers are too expensive (your comment) for this level of protection, then do they really need protection? I think not. Blago has what 25-30 troopers protecting him? Geez, that is overkill. The only thing Rod needs protection from is his own stupidity.
- Prior State Employee - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:52 pm:
Carol Adams and Teyonda Wertz lied under oath.
This is another mandatory requirement to be hired for an upper, middle or lower management position at IDHS.
I worked there a long time and have never interacted with a management person who didn’t lie. And they have no qualms with lying under oath; or just lying period. Talk to any rank and file State employee.
Illinois taxpayers need to do something about this. There should be public hearings on these matters.
I have to give Blagojevich credit; he signed into law in 2004, provisions that allowed Estes to file his lawsuit against Wertz. Before then the State of Illinois management employees couldn’t be sued due to Qualified Immunity. Management knew they could run roughshod over any employee; and there would be NO LEGAL or financial consequences.
To add insult to injury; the Attorney General’s office provides these management people with free representation. But as least now the management person can be a defendant and may be financially liable if the plaintiff prevails.
Again, something needs to be done about this also.
These employees willfully and maliciously break the law; but unlike “everyday people”, don’t have to suffer consequences of paying a lawyer to defend themselves. PUBLIC HEARINGS PLEASE!
- Tessa - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 3:56 pm:
Oh, wait. This is special. Annual ethics training for DHS employees is scheduled April 24- May 28th and must be completed in this time period. Do you think everyone will pass?
- Objective Dem - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 4:16 pm:
Erstwhile State Employee,
I definitely not an IDHS plant or a relative of Adams or Wertz. I said earlier I would get rid of Wertz and think Adams is in the wrong. I frankly would have no problem with Adams getting the boot for this issue.
My issue is I don’t think having a driver is that bad. They need to be paid a lot less, but it makes sense to have one.
- Is that silk? - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 4:18 pm:
Someone needs to find out if the Drury Inn was actually booked full that night.
- Jacketpotato - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 4:25 pm:
What about the cars and their use? It’s worse with Cook County, but the City has issues too. I didn’t realize that the State had similar issues with abuse of the public trust when it came to vehicles. Why do taxpayers fund a “free” car (some Chicago workers get gas, insurance, maintenance, car washes, parking, etc.) to municipal and state employees? I understand that the Governor and the Mayor need to have a car for business. I don’t want the Governor or police officers driving in their own cars. It’s the other workers that don’t have any sort of need for a car that irks me. Why do they get all those freebies, when an equivalent manager in private industry would be lucky to get a free parking space. If it’s part of their pay package, make that public.
- Objective Dem - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 4:28 pm:
Papa Legba,
I think having a driver offers a limited form of protection that is appropriate. If you are streetwise you know not to go to some places alone, you take someone with you. Unless there is a direct threat, an armed guard/state trooper is too much.
- Papa Legba - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 5:41 pm:
I was a state worker and I have been in sales. Both jobs took me all over the city with just me in the car. I never had a driver and some of the locations I went to made Springfield residents duck down below the windows of the car.
- Papa Legba - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 5:47 pm:
BTW. I also have a pigment deficiency to my completion that doesn’t reflect the majority of the population in the areas I traveled to. Just in case you were wondering.
- Jacksonville Jack - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 6:36 pm:
Adams and Wertz came from City of Chicago government, specifically the Chicago Housing Authority. The whole thing about the drivers is that they are a status symbol. The high salaries were just gravy they could pass on to someone from their community.
The big problem for DHS staff was the screaming and obscenities, especially from Wertz. You could hear her far down the hallway in the Harris building. The same goes for Davis.
Have any of you other DHS commenters had the pleasure of hearing his voice screaming on the phone “Do you know who this is?”
His attempts at intimidation were pretty laughable after the first one, since it became apparent he was only the driver.
- Former State Employee - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 8:20 pm:
OK, no one has ventured a guess on my earlier question…..will Eugene Davis be allowed to return to drive Miss Daisy at DHS? (He’s currently on leave due to running for Alderman, but didn’t make the primary cut…boo hoo)
- A Citizen - Friday, Mar 2, 07 @ 8:21 pm:
- Friends for DHS - Your first hand knowledge and attitude are what should be allowed to be part of the improvement needed. It would be fortunate if you were allowed to impact that new leadership. Good luck, I wish you the best!