* Our “reform” governor has had problems explaining this appointment, so he caught a break when she bowed out yesterday…

A former lawmaker is resigning from a job that Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn gave her only days after she voted for his 67 percent tax hike, the governor’s office confirmed today.

Former Rep. Careen Gordon withdrew her name from consideration for an $85,886-a-year spot on the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Quinn had nominated her for the position, but her ability to win confirmation in the Senate was in doubt.

Critics charged the timing between her vote on the tax hike and her appointment by Quinn were too cozy. Both Quinn and Gordon have said there was no connection.

* And the Blagojevich clan got in on the action…

Patti Blagojevich said Wednesday that there is no difference between what her husband is accused of and the alleged deal between Gordon and Quinn.

“Here’s somebody who…made a vote to get herself a job. And on the other hand, you talked about jobs, investigated things with your lawyers. Discussed things and never took any action but you’re under indictment for pretty much the same thing,” said Patti Blagojevich on the radio.

“She may be correct. It’s pay for play,” said [Pat Brady, Illinois Republican Party chairman].

Political reformer Dawn Clark Netcsh disagrees.

“If you are going to tell the governor you can never appoint someone who is in office at one time, who might have voted the way you thought was the right way to vote, that’s absurd. I don’t find that to be an example of what we thought to be pay to play,” said Netsch.

Being caught trying to allegedly shake down a children’s hospital CEO for a contribution in exchange for releasing state funding is just a bit different than this. Also, Blagojevich was caught on tape talking about out and out trading a US Senate appointment for jobs for himself and his wife. Despite the obvious appearance problem, there is no evidence at this time that either Gordon or Quinn were that explicit. Rod Blagojevich was a crass crook. He’s also a convicted liar.

* Gordon’s defense…

In late October, she told The Daily Journal: “At this point now, I can’t ask the people who live in my district for more money until the state of Illinois shows that they are good at money management. I haven’t voted for a tax increase and I have showed I won’t vote for a tax increase until we show that.”

In a telephone interview Saturday [after her vote for the tax hike], she said: “The income tax increase signed by the governor goes farther than that. The money has to go to pay bills, with no new programs. There also are spending caps (2 percent per year) and the provision is if the increase goes over that the tax increase is null and void.

“Over the next two years, there will have to be a minimum of $800 million in cuts each year to meet that spending cap.”

That explanation is a heck of a lot more plausible than Blagojevich’s excuses. It still stinks, but this is no “Pay to play on steroids.”