* Reading the inspector general’s report on former Department of Human and Family Services chief of staff Tamara Hoffman is a mind-blowing experience.

Hoffman is well-known on Springfield’s after-hours circuit for some of her more, um, “interesting” behavior. But as far as I can tell, none of her behavior ever did a whit of damage to DHFS at the Statehouse. The agency’s bills passed or died, its rules were approved or shot down regardless of what Tami did off-duty.

But back in April of 2008, the department’s inspector general got some reports of baudy after-hours behavior by Hoffman, so he started an investigation.

Yes, you read that right. Blow off too much steam in a bar and the next thing you know the inspector general is on your tail. Literally, as it turns out. The official investigation eventually involved following Hoffman around in state cars.

DHFS Inspector General John Allen initially tried to convince Director Barry Maram to either fire Hoffman or have her tone down her off-duty behavior. Maram brushed off the busy-body, saying he didn’t think her after-hours activities were anyone’s business. Allen didn’t give up, though, and launched an all-out probe.

Eventually, they got Hoffman for showing up late to work (which required IG Allen to spend state money on surveillance), having some naughty pictures on her state computer and talking to me without going through the public information office. From the State Journal-Register story…

Investigators also found that Hoffman violated state policy by giving an unauthorized interview to Rich Miller, creator of the Capitol Fax newsletter, in February 2009.

Here’s the story I wrote that got Inspector General John Allen in such a tizzy…

DEPARTMENT GOES AROUND BLAGOJEVICH Several hours after Rod Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI, a top official at the Department of Health and Family Services confirmed to me that the governor’s office had indeed put a hold on money for a pediatric care program, an allegation contained in the federal criminal complaint.

The feds claimed that Blagojevich had held up funding for the program in order to pry loose a $50,000 campaign contribution from the person who runs Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Tami Hoffman, who is the chief legal counsel for DHFS, decided to go on record about what she knew yesterday after the Chicago Tribune posted a story on its website claiming that Blagojevich had finally released the state money as his last act in office.

Hoffman said she was told personally by Blagojevich Deputy Governor Bob Greenlee a week before Blagojevich’s arrest that the money was to be put on hold. The department, Hoffman said, had been informed several days earlier that a hold had been placed on the program. Greenlee resigned soon after Blagojevich’s arrest. He has not been accused of any wrongdoing and has not spoken about the criminal complaint in public.

The day after the governor’s arrest, Hoffman said DHFS began working to get the pediatric care funding to hospitals without the governor’s knowledge or cooperation. The governor apparently placed a call to the department a few weeks later to check on the status of the funding and was angrily reminded that his office had placed a hold on the money.

The funding proved to be complicated, Hoffman said, with various negotiations required with providers and difficult computer coding to accomplish. The department eventually decided on a February 1st posting date of the funding availability, but that was a Sunday, so it was moved up.

Hoffman said the decision was made to post the funding availability on the network shortly after the Senate voted to remove Blagojevich from office on Thursday, January 29th. It was, she said, the first time to her knowledge that a posting was done without a governor’s name attached to it. It was also apparently done that way to ensure that Blagojevich could not take any credit for funding the program after he was accused of holding up the money in exchange for a large contribution.

Bottom line: This funding was apparently not Blagojevich’s last act in office.

Inspector General Allen claimed in his report that he had been told Director Maram was “caught off guard” and “upset” over Hoffman’s leak. Maram confirmed to Allen that he was angry, but he defended his chief of staff by saying that she wanted to set the record straight and “did the right thing.”

Yet, somehow, this episode is included in Allen’s report.

What a freaking crock that is.

Hoffman’s refusal to answer numerous questions at the House Impeachment Committee’s hearings is nowhere in the report. Instead, Allen’s report is a salacious collection of innuendo and heresay and “shocking” news that she had some porn on her ‘puter and showed up late to work.

Look, she brought most of this on herself. No denying that. And I won’t defend breaking the on-duty rules. She is what she is, and she’s gotta deal with it.

But what are we coming to in this state when, as corruption is all around, a guy like Inspector General John Allen is expending bigtime state resources to investigate after-hours tavern behavior? And what the heck is Allen doing chastising Hoffman for speaking truth to the media about Rod Blagojevich’s corruption?

Also, just as an FYI, I was told not long ago that Allen was nosing around the office about a comment which had been posted here on my blog. DHFS refused to respond to my questions about that earlier this week when I called to discuss the Allen report.

So, let me just say right now: Get a life, dude.