Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Frerichs to create “Employee Bill of Rights”

Posted in:

Illinois

Treasurer Mike Frerichs signed an order to protect his workers from the pressures of political interests.

Frerichs said the order creates a bill of rights that prevents employees in his office from doing campaign work for him or making donations to his campaign. […]

Frerichs said, “It’s important that all employees in my office know that political work on state time is not going to be condoned, that we’re going to set a higher standard for ourselves, and we’re not going to take contributions from our employees because we’re focusing our time here in the state office on doing good for the people of the state of Illinois, not for political campaigns.” […]

He said the next step will be an audit of the Treasurer’s office, yet another move towards greater transparency.

* Sun-Times…

Former Republican Treasurer Dan Rutherford’s 2014 bid for governor was crippled by allegations in a federal lawsuit of sexual and political harassment from a former staffer. Rutherford forcefully denied those allegations.

A state audit later found Rutherford’s office exercised “inadequate controls” over a controversial summer internship program that cost taxpayers at least $328,000 in just two of the four years it operated. Rutherford’s office insisted clout played no role in arranging internships.

* Tom Kacich at the News-Gazette…

Frerichs order does not, however, impose a blanket ban his staff members from doing political work for him in their free time.

“People are free to exercise their First Amendment rights,” said [Frerichs spokeswoman Paris Ervin]. […]

An executive order issued Wednesday by Frerichs calls for his employee’s bill of rights to be completed by Jan. 31. It directs the inspector general for the treasurer’s office to investigate alleged violations of the executive order and the bill of rights.

The full executive order is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 9:41 am

Comments

You set a bar and standard, you better not get caught ignoring them.

When will the state-paid report former Treasurer @RutherfordDan commissioned be released?

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 9:45 am
The Treasurer is an opportunist just trying to get a headline and take credit for implementing rules the previous administration ignored. It’s redundant because ethics laws currently exist that ban state employees from donating to their employer’s campaigns and from performing political work on state time. That’s why Rutherford got in trouble to begin with.

Comment by Anon Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 9:51 am
I see it now. Treasurer Frerichs solely staffs the Treasurer’s tent ALL day and EVERY day of the hot and humid Illinois State Fair. He is last spotted, coated in sweat, exclaiming a modified line from “Silence of the Lambs” - “It…It…It rubs the suntan lotion on its skin.”

Comment by anonymoose Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 9:51 am
The Rutherford report may well belong to the current Treasurer. (There was a similar issue in the Ryan case.)

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 9:55 am
Thanks anonymoose for the good laugh. Actually, if it bears similarities to my former office the people staffing the tent will be paid state employees. I used to love getting out of the office to work the fair. I’d almost done it for free…

Comment by Mouthy Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 10:00 am
“…of course if they *happen* to want to support the campaign on their own time, they’re *free* to make that decision *on their own.*” Call me cynical, but I don’t see that this does much but look good. That said, it’s better than the opposite.

Comment by Skeptic Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 10:06 am
Another Executive Puff piece. State law already covers this. Ask Jerry Stermer.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 10:16 am
Someone tell Frerichs to give it a rest before moving onto the next rung on the campaign ladder.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 11:18 am
State law does not prohibit a state employee from asking a co-worker or someone they supervise to work on their boss’s campaign after 5 pm or on weekends. Current state law only covers when the employees are on the clock on state property.

Frerichs’ executive order does indeed provide additional protection, and I think it is a step in the right direction.

Comment by Juvenal Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 11:20 am
Sweet deal for the employees since there isn’t much else to do.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 11:20 am
**Someone tell Frerichs to give it a rest before moving onto the next rung on the campaign ladder.**

Sure… as soon as Bruce Rauner and every other elected official “give it a rest.”

Comment by dave Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 11:33 am
This is a good first step for a statewide office holder who promised to clean up his predecessors mess. I talked with a couple of the holdovers and they both said its already a different atmosphere in that office. That said, there are still concerns over there. I know Frerichs doesnt pick his own IG but is this the same IG who one told an employee, “he doesn’t need evidence…” and also one used someone who was twice arrested for felony shoplifting as his key witness?

Comment by Downstate GOP Faithless Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 12:24 pm
If only some of these people actually did campaign work that matters! So many of the executive branch flunkies think they are above the doors and phones. The point is voter contact people.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 12:35 pm
So does this mean that Freirichs will put all his jobs under civil service and make no political hires?LOL

Comment by Arizona Bob Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 1:07 pm
Gee, what a surprise. The Champaign News Gazette looking for an angle in order to criticize a Democrat. In other news, water is wet.

Comment by Filmmaker Professor Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 2:58 pm
Perspective from Champaign County: Democrats in Champaign County do not have a tradition of patronage and campaign workers in Democratic-controlled offices. It looks to me as though Mike is taking the Champaign County ethic state-wide. Good for him!

Comment by jake Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 3:46 pm