42 Comments - Betsy - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:15 pm: Glad to see Abdon landed somewhere, although selfishly I wish it were back as a reporter. I miss reading his byline. - Politix - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:36 pm: Happy for Sue, Katie and Mike - all stellar. - LizPhairTax - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:50 pm: Agreed Betsy. It’s like crossing the foul line in Field of Dreams though right? Can’t go back? Honest question. Journalism-wise can’t be done? - Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:53 pm: === Journalism-wise can’t be done?=== It can be done and has been done (in DC), but it’s tricky. There really aren’t many openings, however, and hiring him as the CST Statehouse reporter probably wouldn’t be kosher. - Juice - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:53 pm: Many congrats to Abdon, Sue and Mike. All hardworking good folks. But a special congrats to Kurt for the pick-up of Katie. She’s a rock star and will be very helpful to a pol who is looking to move up in the future. - LizPhairTax - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:55 pm: Thanks Rich. I’d be willing to bet Tom Dart is more likely to be in business in a few years than the Sun-Times is anyway. - Taken for Granite - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 1:59 pm: Don’t let the door hitya where the good Lord splitya. Fawning over these staffers after they helped their former boss make a complete mess of things really lets them off the hook. Notice how not a one went into the private sector? - Anonymoiis - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:08 pm: Taken, I was about as far removed from being a Quinn supporter, but I don’t blame the staffers and for certain wouldn’t wish them to sit on unemployment. It’s the cycle and nature of political jobs now. Be careful how much you gloat in the misfortune of others…chances are you’ll be in their position one day. - Responsa - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:09 pm: I’m happy for Abdon. But can’t help but feel he made a mistake going to work for Quinn in the first place. He seems much more suited for open end reporting than directed flacking. I, too, miss his byline. And as you say, it’ll be hard to go “home” again. I’d argue he’s had and would have continued to have, a greater impact as a reporter than in any political job. - Anon - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:17 pm: Taken, May you never fall on hard times. - Arsenal - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:17 pm: “Notice how not a one went into the private sector?” So what? Private sector employment is not some dispositive indicator of worth. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:19 pm: - Taken for Granite -, Feel better? The bitterness towards people and the contempt…how long do you want them unemployed to make it ok for you? You want to put a brick on anyone who looked at Quinn until you, personally, are ok with it? They are people, no different than you or me. I never understood why people can’t let others just move on and be happy for them. If you have that list of when the Quinnsters can get back to work, let us know. Only you can stop the animosity you feel. No one else. - Ribbit Ribbit - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:20 pm: Good things happen to good people. Best wishes to all of them and their new employers, who are very lucky to have them. - Precinct Captain - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:20 pm: Abdon did a lot of great work at the Sun-Times. Even if it is just as an editorial writer someday, hopefully Abdon can come back into journalism. Like others, I miss his writing. I would also like to point out that Abdon never felt himself too good for phone banking or canvassing during the campaign season. - Someone you should know - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:25 pm: As Anon Said, TFG, I really hope you never fall on hard times, Karma can be a real, well you know…….. - NoGifts - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:41 pm: Were any of them hired competitively with an application process? Perhaps they are all the best candidates for those positions but it looks like business as usual to me. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:47 pm: ===Perhaps they are all the best candidates for those positions but it looks like business as usual to me.=== So they may be the best, but it could be business as usual? Like your wavering, your comment misses the mark. They coukd be the best, it could be business as usual… Pick a lane. Stay there. If you’re lane is to insinuate something, just say it, don’t qualify it. And remember karma while you’re at it too. Jeez. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:48 pm: There’s not much of a Sun-Times left to go back to. It probably won’t last the year. - Amalia - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:49 pm: wow. Dart made a smart hire. - 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:51 pm: ===but it looks like business as usual to me.=== Yep, me too. Elected officials hiring experienced and talented public servants. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:53 pm: Taken is right, gang. You live by the sword, you die by the sword. If the Sun-Times was an ongoing concern, Abdon would not have left to become a PR flak for a goofball like Quinn. At least Quinn is who he is, though, and not a total condescending phony with a fake accent who thinks we are all stupid. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:54 pm: Amelia: Dart may also be gone soon. - Macbeth - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:55 pm: — Notice how not a one went into the private sector?— Hard to believe, but there are some folks that feel that public service is very important. Frankly, I feel that way — and I wish more folks (especially among Rauner’s staff and especially with Rauner himself) would understand this. - Someone you should know - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:55 pm: Ummmmmmmmmm, Dart just got sworn in after winning re-election, I believe he has 47 months to serve……… - Been There - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:55 pm: ===Were any of them hired competitively with an application process?==== I will go out on a limb here and guess that these are exempt positions. Of course you might want hire somebody to speak for you as an elected official who is in a non-exempt position. Myself? I would prefer someone I get to pick. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:56 pm: LizPhair: I missed your post. Dart and the Sun-Times are both on the same timetable for self-destruction. Do not take said bet. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:57 pm: ===Taken is right, gang. You live by the sword, you die by the sword.=== No one said they shouldn’t be “out” after Quinn lost, but how long they suppose to be unemployed to make it ok for you? What’s the penance? What is sufficient for working for Quinn? They found gigs, it’s part of the industry; you’re good, you land in your feet. The animosity is just sad. I feel bad for you as opposed to anyone, in any race that lost. Karma… - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:58 pm: Go to school on Dart’s recent behavior. He must hate Google. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:02 pm: Oswego: I’m glad everyone landed on their feet. Also, when I said Dart could be gone, I did not indicate where. He could be appointed the next federal judge for life like Brian Barnett Duff, et al. - Carl Nyberg - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:11 pm: I did a property tax appeal for a woman who was the public face of Rahm policies. She had left for the private sector. She really didn’t feel good about being the spokesperson for Rahm policies. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:11 pm: NoGifts: Hired competitively with an application process? I thought recreational marijuana was still a bill to be introduced. - NoGifts - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:15 pm: Pick a lane? Perhaps business as usual sometimes does result in the best outcome. Maybe that’s why people keep doing it - but it might not be true in all cases. - From the 'Dale to HP - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:18 pm: @Bright One, are you talking about BGA hit pieces on Dart? Cus whatever if that’s what you’re talking about. - A guy - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:20 pm: You can go as far as your talent takes you. These 3 prove it. They were talented and earned good new positions. Good for them. - NoGifts - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:23 pm: More to the point, were the new positions at City Hall and DOT necessary and empty? In that case wouldn’t you do a search even for exempt positions? Or were they created as high priced positions to pay back favors between political bosses. I didn’t want to cast aspersions on the skills of the hired, because they can be very good, but rather on the reasons and methods such positions suddenly appear. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:29 pm: BGA has minimal credibility. Not sure those are even “hit” pieces. Go to the sites monitoring Dart’s policies and personal behavior as of late. - Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:33 pm: NoGifts: I’ll bet you a case of Stag Beer (another Rauner affectation) that those positions were not necessary and empty…wait, I agree. Contact high, bro. By thy rivers gently flowing… - AlabamaShake - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:46 pm: **Were any of them hired competitively with an application process? Perhaps they are all the best candidates for those positions but it looks like business as usual to me.** Did Rauner “hire competitively with an application process” any of this political appointees? Didn’t think so… - RJ - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 3:52 pm: Geez, ya think @Bright One might have an axe to grind? - NoGifts - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 4:55 pm: I don’t think the practice of generating new high paid positions for as favors to political friends differs between democrats and republicans. I think most people in government have well paid positions suddenly appear out of nowhere for people with good political connections. - NoGifts - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 4:56 pm: “have seen” well paid… - Precinct Captain - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 4:56 pm: ==- Bright One - Friday, Feb 6, 15 @ 2:58 pm:== Having inmates help demolish vacant, blighted houses? Working on rape backlogs in the south suburbs? Exposing incompetent policing in the south suburbs? What an awful record *eye roll*. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.