Because… Madigan!
Thursday, Jun 18, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jim Dey
As new Gov. J.B Pritzker prepared to take office in January 2019, there was a feeding frenzy among aspiring politicos for jobs in his administration.
Many of them were looking for an inside track to get on Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan’s list of “recommendations for the new administration.”
An examination of that list by Chicago public radio station WBEZ shows that 37 people of the all-powerful Madigan’s list of 76 choices were accepted by Pritzker. […]
The record shows that Cullerton, Brady and Durkin made little effort to influence Pritzker’s personnel choices and had even less success.
Of Cullerton’s three recommendations, just one was appointed to a nonpaying post. Two of Brady’s 11 recommendations were accepted. Durkin’s sole recommendation was rejected. Meanwhile, nearly half of Madigan’s recommendations were accepted.
1) If he’s so “all-powerful,” then how come he batted below .500?
2) If you believe that John Cullerton only asked for three jobs, I have a bridge to sell you.
The original story generated a ton of social media push-back from the administration. Click here for Jordan Abudayyeh’s take.
* The ILGOP’s response…
Yesterday, it was revealed that upon winning the gubernatorial election in 2017 [sic], Speaker Madigan sent Governor Pritzker a list of individuals he wanted hired in state government. Pritzker complied with the Speaker’s wishes and hired 35 of them.
WBEZ: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Hired 35 People From House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Clout List - “Despite repeatedly promising to be “independent” of longtime Democratic boss Michael Madigan, first-term Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker filled many prominent roles in his administration with people recommended by the state House speaker and party chairman, a WBEZ investigation has revealed.
As Pritzker won the election in 2018 and was sworn into office last year, Madigan’s office sent him the names of scores of job seekers and the positions in state government they desired. Madigan’s successful recommendations far outnumbered those from other legislative leaders, with records showing the new governor made nearly three dozen hires and board appointments off the speaker’s clout list.
Illinois taxpayers are paying those Madigan-endorsed public officials a total of more than $2.5 million a year, WBEZ’s investigation found.”
ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider responded to the news by releasing the following statement:
“It was obvious long before Governor Pritzker was elected that he would do Speaker Madigan’s bidding. Now we have proof. When Madigan asked, Governor Pritzker delivered for him. Just as they have been for decades, the taxpayers of Illinois were left out of that equation.
The only appropriate response for when Madigan’s chief emailed his clout list was for Pritzker’s chief to email back, ‘no thanks.’ Instead, the Governor hired half of them, gave them cushy jobs as department heads and board commissioners, and is paying them $2.5 million in taxpayer funds annually. All 35 Madigan Patronage hires should resign immediately.”
Click here to read the list.
To my eyes, most of these folks were no-brainers. Jim Edgar, Shirley Madigan and David Harris stand out in that regard. And quite a few were actually supported by Madigan’s members. Also, Tiffany Newbern-Johnson spent two years on Madigan’s legal staff, but she really made her name at Mayor Emanuel’s office.
* But Pritzker was super reluctant to appoint Local 150’s Jim Sweeney to the Toll Highway Authority. The governor wanted more diversity at the tollway. Madigan had to intervene…
Chairman Evans and Davis are African-Americans. But except for Santoy, the rest are Anglos. Also, two women, seven men.
Normally, I wouldn’t do a count like that, and I don’t have a problem with any of these members, but the governor is the one who made such a big deal about diversity. Also too, Local 150 wins again.
So, yeah, there’s some fire with all that smoke. And I would assume there’s more.
By the way, Cesar Santoy, who was backed by then-Sen. Marty Sandoval and others, eventually had to step down. The tollway board is more white now than it was back then.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:23 am:
“Now we have proof.“
Big deal, super-minority party. When are you going to put out policies that will help you win voters rather than keep milking the dead Madigan cow?
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:26 am:
This would be more believable to me as a real issue if it was a list of lower-level political hacks and door-knockers being recommended for mid- to low-level appointed positions, including comms, policy, director’s assistant positions, and legislative affairs (which there seems to be many vacancies in currently). The people hired on this list likely applied on their own and were already being discussed as possibilities in many circles.
Frankly, lists like these are more trouble than they’re worth and you would think the Speaker’s office knows that.
- anon2 - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:37 am:
Isn’t Tom Cross on the Speaker’s list? I wonder if Chairman Schneider disapproves of that one? Minority Leader Brady got more than 18% of his list appointed. Does that indicate that the governor does Brady’s bidding, too?
- Swampy Squirrel - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:47 am:
Connected people got connected jobs. In other news, sun rises in east, sets in west. Unless they’re grossly wrong for those positions, I don’t see the issue. This is how this game works.
- southsider - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:48 am:
President Cullerton didn’t need to make any requests on paper because his chamber had final say in every person appointed subject to Senate confirmation. In the end, I bet Cullerton and the other senators had much more pull on appointments than anyone else.
- Altgelds Ghost - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:49 am:
Everyone who is on the list got there because they asked MJM or his minions for the favor of being put on the list.
They made the request after a year of JB publicly stating that he was not going to be taking recommendations from MJM for people in his administration.
Yet these individuals thought it better to ignore the public statements of the newly elected Governor and request MJM intervene anyways.
They all deserve the scrutiny that choice created.
Much more troubling is Pritzker’s willingness to completely lie about his intentions as he campaigned and then doubling down on the lying after it was revealed.
JB is a man of weak character. His hypocrisy around MJM will tarnish his legacy.
As for all the apologists and sycophants who have pushed back on this story, take a moment and think about what that says about the future of our governing institutions.
Unethical activity is unethical whether it gets you sent to prison or not.
Springfield needs a cultural overhaul.
- Altgelds Ghost - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:51 am:
Swampy Squirrel
Your post is a terrific example of the role privilege plays in Illinois government. That is why our state is in such dire staits.
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 11:51 am:
“In the end, I bet Cullerton and the other senators had much more pull on appointments than anyone else.”
The fact that we still have high-level “Acting” positions awaiting confirmation sends a strong signal.
- Huh? - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 12:00 pm:
Are the blacked out names, those who didn’t get the job?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 12:04 pm:
=== Your post is a terrific example of the role privilege plays in Illinois government. That is why our state is in such dire staits.===
LOL
we had a “bidness man” who was from the outside.
As Crain’s said, to paraphrase…
By nearly every measure Illinois was worse off with Bruce Rauner.
If you refuse to see government service as also a trade, no different than a carpenter or plumber and career service is as asset, the thought of bringing in knowledgeable people is lost on you.
If there are those in the list you feel are not qualified, have at it. Please.
To be even more transparent, less the IPI folks Rauner brought on for purely ridiculous political reasons, I’ve always gone out of the way to let any governor appoint or hire anyone they want, it’s their administration.
How it worked out in the end with the IPI folks makes my “exception to the rule” for my own thoughts seem sound to me too, lol
- Bigtwich - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 12:05 pm:
==Unethical activity is unethical whether it gets you sent to prison or not.==
I am not quite clear on this. Are you talking about Jim Edgar and Tom Cross?
- Motambe - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 12:21 pm:
Ditto Swampy Squirrel, with emphasis on “ unless they’re grossly wrong for those positions.” Rewarding workers and donors when you take back the executive branch is how you keep them engaged in the process. To the victor goes the spoils.
- Lt Guv - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 12:29 pm:
Now it’s a crime to ask? Ridiculous.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 12:52 pm:
Sounds to me like Schneider and company are still sore that they didn’t get the pick of the good jobs when Rauner took office IL GOP got some spots, sure, but a lot of the best gigs went to the “superstars” from Indiana. And later to IPI folks. I’d be mad too, like “what the heck Bruce, you couldn’t do this for us when you had a chance?”
- Norseman - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 1:15 pm:
Nothing to see here. The supposed big deal was that JB took some of the big bad Madigan’s suggestions to hire. It’s naive to expect the governor to totally ignore the recommendations of his party’s House leader and the Speaker no less.
Hold JB accountable for any job hire who turns out to be unqualified or corrupt. Not because it’s from a legislative leader or even a legislator for that matter.
- Geesh - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 1:45 pm:
Do you suppose they said “Hey JB, Madigan is asking for 76″ and JB says… “Give him just less than half of that.” ??? Fun with math.
- SAP - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
61. Daniel J. Brink—Republican interested in appointment to the Prisoner Review Board (resume sent) Mike McClain recommendation
Hmmmm
- Frumpy white guy - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 1:58 pm:
Poor Micheal “Covid 19” Madigan, he truly is the scapegoat for all that is wrong in the world.
- Frank talks - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 2:09 pm:
Tim doesn’t remember BTIA? They filled lots of positions in the Capitol and Thompson center with lots of young kids who were all on campaign staff.
Maybe Tim is mad the Governor didn’t buy property off him like when he was a County Commissioner and got Cook County to but his family’s golf course?
Goose meet Gander
- DougChicago - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 2:17 pm:
What I am surprised about to some degree is the number of Rauner holdovers that are still there. Agency spokespeople in some cases are holdovers. And some agency staff leaders are still floating around. Why would you do that? You won the election with a clear message of change and are executing on that. Why leave in has beens who are totally out of synch with your vision?
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 4:47 pm:
== You won the election with a clear message of change and are executing on that. Why leave in has beens who are totally out of synch with your vision?==
Because JB paid for his own campaign, he didn’t have to rely on Madigan and the state party for money. He doesn’t feel the pressure of having to repay the debt by hiring a bunch of party hacks and donor relatives right away like other dem governors would. He can hire people that are referred to him by Madigan or whoever else that JB considers qualified, but doesn’t have to be in a huge rush to push the holdovers out the door in order to create openings. It’s one of the few benefits of having a self-financed billionaire governor (unless you’re one of the people trying to get a job).
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 8:46 pm:
== I‘d rather slit my throat than work in the cesspit that is Springfield.==
I don’t understand your original question then. If you feel that you’re too good to hold down a job in said cesspit, why would these lesser human beings now in the positions be a problem for you? At any rate, perhaps the applicants just don’t have your incredibly high IQ or overwhelmingly superior qualifications for employment, and JB is stuck with what he can get.
- Frank talks - Thursday, Jun 18, 20 @ 9:41 pm:
He should not be keeping rauner holdovers. Loyalty is a necessity. Big mistake 2 years after being in office and trusting Rauner folks to be on his side. They’ll jump if they see a chance.