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Let’s see… where to begin? The beauty of covering Gov. Blagojevich is that there’s always something. Always.
The guv dissed the Tribune’s John Chase during his press conference yesterday and the Trib story piled it on high.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich acknowledged Thursday he helped get a state job for a friend whose husband wrote a $1,500 check to the governor’s daughter, but said it was “ludicrous” to suggest the job and gift were connected.Blagojevich also offered a new, contradictory explanation for the check in his first detailed comments since the Tribune reported two weeks ago that the FBI is investigating the woman’s allegation that the gift may have come in return for her job. […]
“And (I) suggested to my chief of staff to see if he can find something that fits her qualifications,” Blagojevich said. “That’s all I know.”
I noticed last night when watching the full video that he didn’t say the word “I” when he talked about passing along her name to Lon Monk. Anyway, back to the story.
But on Thursday, the governor said he wasn’t sure what the money was for and suggested it could have been a christening present for his youngest child, Annie, who was born in April 2003.
The christening was in Springfield, and I believe if memory serves it was during the legislative session. So if the check was written in August or September (the guv mentioned September yesterday) then it wasn’t for a christening.. Memory did not serve. The christening was in August.
The Trib also has a separate story entitled “Key statements in controversy.”
Reporter: What account did the check go in?Blagojevich: We disclose all of that. And the disclosures show that all of the kids’ money for college goes into a mutual fund for college.
The Tribune then tossed in an editorial for good measure, “Pay for play(time).”
Even if everyone accepts that the Ascaridises are so fond of the Blagojevich children that they wanted to give about two weeks of Beverly’s pay to the little ones, there are loads of other questions about this.- The job was located in Whiteside County, 130 miles from the Ascaridis home in Chicago. But it was transferred to DuPage County shortly after Ascaridis got it. “I don’t even know where Whiteside County is,” Beverly Ascaridis told the Tribune. Who profited from that sleight of hand? The people of the state or the governor’s buddy?
- Did a military veteran lose out because of this deal? The state inspector general has reported that the Blagojevich administration has gotten around state rules that give hiring preference to veterans by hiring people in rural counties, where few veterans apply for jobs, and then moving the jobs elsewhere. (Whiteside County has about 60,000 people.)
- Why did Blagojevich file a 2003 ethics statement, then amend it in 2005 to include Michael and Beverly Ascaridis as having given gifts of more than $500?
And the Sun-Times editorial page jabbed the guv for yet another atrocious auditor general report.
If Gov. Blagojevich is counting on making his prescription drug program part of his re-election plank, he should reconsider. A report from Illinois Auditor General William Holland shows the drug program, as well as the governor’s efforts to buy flu shots in 2004, may not be anything to brag about. Both of the programs broke federal laws, the report concludes. Both had significant management lapses. Both failed to meet expectations. Neither is a good example of government at work.
The Ascaridis story and the ISaveRX stories are connected. On Wednesday, the governor defiantly vowed to continue violating federal drug importation laws. Yesterday, he claimed Topinka’s campaign was violating a minor state election law and said something to the effect of “it’s the law.”
I sometimes think that the man has no self-awareness at all.
*** UPDATE *** If you go to the 1:22 mark in video one, the governor says this:
“Now, let me be clear, the law is the law. The law, L-A-W, requires full disclosures on campaign finance reports.”
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 8:49 am
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Blagojevich has given no indication that he’s willing to do anything serious to eliminate pay to play politics, and Topinka is soft on the issue. Rich Whitney has pledged to ban campaign contributions from corporations that do business with the state, and he has proposed an independent hiring and promotion entity. Like Rich says, the Green Party is for a clean environment and clean government.
Comment by Squideshi Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 9:06 am
Actually, there appear to be a few mismanagement problems over at Blago and Patti’s “reformed” DCFS too.
According to the local Chicago press, DCFS in early September saw bruises on a three month old infant whose common law uncle was subsequently charged with her brutal murder this week.
I’m sure that child protection is a difficult business but one wonders in what universe a DCFS caseworker walks out on a three month old with
bruises.
Even the police, strong Blago supporters, have expressed some dismay. They were apparently never notified of the bruises.
Perhaps this will give additional impetus to the proposed state bill requiring that all DCFS hotline reports go to the police as well as DCFS. That bill, which is being ardently fought by DCFS, arose from another DCFS disaster in Canton earlier this year but has not yet passed. DCFS egos notwithstahding shouldn’t the
welfare of small children take precedence over, well, just about everything.
Three years in, it’s going be a little difficult
to blame this tragic DCFS mistake on Jess McDonald, but no doubt Blago will try.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 9:21 am
I think he’s being mis-quoted. What he really said was “Ann suggested to my chief of staff…”
The new defense is emerging. Actually it was newborn Annie who went to Lon Monk and asked for a job for Auntie Beverly in gratitude for the christening gift.
Rod had nothing at all to do with it. Annie Blagojevich is the one circumventing state hiring laws.
Reminds me of how it turned out Maggie Simpson was the one who shot Mr. Burns.
Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 9:35 am
I disagree with the Sun Times; the drug program and flu shot programs are perfect examples of “good” government that this administration is capable of. These programs illustrate how Every aspect of the state has been run the last 3 1/2 years. The $1500 gift from a state job recipient illustrates the arrogance of the Governor in violating his own ethics rules for personal gain.
Comment by North of I-80 Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 9:56 am
Ok let me get this straight…. Blago says he can’t remember if it was a birthday gift for his 7-year-old daughter or a christening gift for his newborn daughter Annie. Well, who was the check made out to?
Comment by Political insider Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 10:04 am
Political insider…Payable to “Cash”.
So they wanted to find her a job that she is qualified for. She failed the test and still got a job. The job relocates many miles closer to home. Even without the payoff, this still stinks.
Rod discloses everything…after he is called on it.
Comment by Wumpus Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 10:11 am
If he charges his best friend fifteen hundred bucks for a job he must charge the average Joe Schmoe BAZILLIONS. I bet he’s richer than Bill Gates.
Comment by Snark Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 10:19 am
This is what happened.
The Democrats had been out of the governor’s office for a generation. All their friends and operators hadn’t a shot at the trough for a long, long, time.
When Blagojevich was elected, all those years decended on his office. Every supporter and hungry organization cut off during the republican years screamed for dough and jobs. Blagojevich was completely unprepared to be governor, especially at this time. He had no executive experiences, his legislative experience was very weak, and he got his job the old fashioned way - he married it. He was unqualified; but governor.
Blagojevich failed. He didn’t even want to be governor. He wanted to be President. So, he didn’t take his gubernatorial duties seriously. Late to every function; didn’t even move to the state capital. This attitude of dismissal permeated throughout his administration of newbies and sincere amateurs.
These people wanted jobs and cash. Any corners were cut, every deal went through first, ethics be damned. Blagojevich focused on satiating the Party’s hunger without consideration of the consequences.
After four years, he should have learned his job. He hasn’t. Now, that all those lame deals are being reviewed, we are discovering how procedures were ignored, and common sense questions dismissed.
He reaped what he sowed.
He should not be re-elected. Period. He is a failed governor.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 10:30 am
I see another JBT commercial in the making…. “its the law, L-A-W” says the Governor. Yet the independepent state auditor says the Governor is breaking the L-A-W with his prescription program. The Governor’s response–I dont care.
Comment by I fought the law.... Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 10:32 am
What sort of “friend” forgets — or confuses — what a large check was for?
If I gave even half the amount to someone — and that someone can’t remember what it was for — that tells me something.
Well, it actually tells me a couple things: that I receive a lot of large checks from people, and maybe I really did forget. In that case, my question as a voter is: why are people giving you large checks? I’ve been married, had a lot of birthdays, and can’t remember *ever* receiving a 1500 dollar check.
The other thing it tells me is that if you’re able to “forget” something publically — hmmm, let’s see … no, I can’t remember — then that means that you’ve put your ducks in a row and made sure there is no record of the donation. You don’t “forget” something that leaves a paper trail for someone to follow. If you forget it, you make sure the paper trail is gone.
But Illinois voters don’t care. This is simple, but as the scandal evolves, Blagojevich obfuscates the issue. A master strategy since it’s clear to me that Illinois voters don’t want to deal with complex issues. They’d rather just vote him in and be done with it.
I voted him in once. Never again.
Comment by Yvette Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 10:40 am
I see another issue here that shows what kind of character this gov has. His best buddy gives one? of his kids $1500 and he doesn’t remember which child or what it was for or if it was in a card or who it was made out to. Your best friend gave you a very generous gift of $1500 and you are so flippant about it you don’t even remember the details!!! No appreciation for the size of the personal gift - If he was my friend, that would be the last thing he ever got from me. If I had received a gift like that from someone for my kids, I would be telling everyone what a wonderful thing it was and that I would make sure to show my deep appreciation. Wouldn’t you? Or maybe you wouldn’t remember because it was so trivial????
Comment by Hard Working Taxpayer Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 11:13 am
looks like its not a good day to be Rod or one of his blindly loyal backers.
Comment by Strike Three, He's Out Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 11:23 am
VanillaMan - you are SOOOOOO 100 percent correct.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 11:55 am
It appears he had a good reason for hiding. He should probably get back in the batcave.
Comment by Truth Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 12:09 pm
what does it matter if it was a b’day gift for one child or a christening gift for another!? either ‘excuse’ - it’s still a sizable amount of money for either of those occassions!
Comment by Anon Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 2:37 pm
WHAT IS THE GOVENOR THINKING: $1500 checks. Have the public forgotten DCFS and the problems there. WHAT IS THE PUBLIC THINKING REELECTING THIS GUY
Comment by Concern Citizen Friday, Sep 22, 06 @ 7:14 pm
Everyone, please check out IDOT - Blago loves to put unqualified people who have contributed to his campaign in positions, yes, even in Civil Engineering positions. If he can’t get them in because they are not professionals, he tries to reclassify the jobs down to “technician” positions. His people replace highly qualified professionals who have worked their butts off for years and are next in line for promotions. These favored people are COACHED prior to interviews for promotions. All true.
Blago places people who have been fired from previous jobs, who have criminal records, in high paying positions. Yes, folks, these “liaisons” make way more than the engineers! They do next to nothing.
Blago’s people do not care about the taxpayers. If they really cared about saving money, they would look into agencies like IDOT where honest employees point out dishonest practices that cost the state millions of dollars annually, even millions of dollars per contract, and these complaints go “up” even to Springfield, yet no one does anything about it. Yet Blago didn’t give state workers pay raises for three years, and he wants to take away pensions and make other ridiculous cuts to balance his budget. Unqualified people doing professional jobs that affect the public’s safety. Nice, huh?
It’s disgusting. He just assumes that everyone in state jobs is political and “the enemy.” It doesn’t matter that most professional state workers got their jobs by earning degrees and legitimately applying to these jobs. They just want to support their families. Just like anyone else.
No matter what slimy thing he gets caught doing, his supporters still blindly stand by his side. State employees are required to take an ethics test every year while he is the biggest cheater of them all. Irony.
Comment by Anon Saturday, Sep 23, 06 @ 1:29 pm
Re: “Rod had nothing at all to do with it. Annie Blagojevich is the one circumventing state hiring laws.
Reminds me of how it turned out Maggie Simpson was the one who shot Mr. Burns.”
ROFL.
Please don’t delete that for being snarky, because that was the best joke I’ve read in the past half hour, here.
Comment by Angie Saturday, Sep 23, 06 @ 7:29 pm
Love the new video showing him completely confused and doing a “Clinton” and asking what the question was! No matter how blindly you want to support this guy, that video should wake you up. The only thing missing was him wagging his finger at us and claiming “That money was for my daughter!” Of course, I can’t remember which one or for what occasion but then you shouldn’t be able to ask me questions like that! I don’t like to have questions sprung on me that I haven’t had plenty of time to prepare an answer for!
Comment by Charlee Wednesday, Oct 4, 06 @ 8:43 am