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Eric Krol interviews the departing deputy governor, Bradley Tusk.
•Tusk is most proud of All Kids, the state program that aims to get health coverage for children who don’t have it. He’s also proud of Open Road Tolling, the godsend that’s making life a bit easier for suburban commuters like me. Tusk acknowledges the idea was around before Blagojevich. He describes his role as being a negotiator between then-tollway Executive Director Jack Hartman, who Tusk said wanted to increase tolls to rebuild, and Blagojevich, who “pushed back†on the toll-raising part. Assuming the financial plan is viable, the tollway is being rebuilt with no increase for I-PASS users.
•On his style: “The approach is always the same thing: you want to get big things done, and you do everything you can to get them done. I think over time, you learn different routes to getting them done. Sometimes you go through, sometimes you go around … Sometimes you use the carrot. Sometimes you use the stick. Sometimes both.
“For me, in every regard, there was so much that I didn’t know about specific issues, about government, about politics. Anyone stepping into a job like I had will learn an incredible amount in four years.â€
•Asked what it’s like to work for Blagojevich, Tusk uses the word “intense.†Which is usually code for a politician who’s difficult. Also not a description you’d readily associate with a governor who once got a devilish grin on his face before trumpeting the amount of “testicular virility†he possessed. “He’s much more intense privately than he is publicly because when he wants to get stuff done, he’s laser-focused on it. But that’s his job,†Tusk explained.
Tusk says he hasn’t been subpoenaed, hasn’t appeared before a grand jury, barely knew Tony Rezko and hasn’t hired counsel. I disagree with Krol’s contention that this means the investigation hasn’t progressed as far as we might believe, however. Tusk was always adamant that he didn’t do patronage or fundraising, and those are the two areas under review by the feds. Although, Rezko is only recently cooperative (if the reports are true), so Eric is absolutely right that the feds have a long way to go on this one.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 7:51 am
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“What he sees in the next Blagojevich term: a move to universal health care, widening of Interstates 88 and 90, finding more money for his Preschool For All program and pushing the lottery sale education funding plan.”
Where’s Blago’s testicular virility on supporting a real education funding plan, like House Bill 750?
Comment by Squideshi Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 8:53 am
All shots drank tonight will be for St. John’s and the Mets. All shots last night were for Catfight.
Comment by Snark Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 10:30 am
Hmmmm. Tusk has not been subpoenaed or called before a Grand Jury. Could it be though that he HAS been intereviewed by the FBI or Fitz’ people? I can’t believe he doesn’t know what has been going on and won’t be looked at in the future.
Comment by Little Egypt Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 11:01 am
Rezko recently cooperative? Based on what?
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 11:25 am
Brad, Thanks for everything you accomplished in your short time in Illinois. I hope that you won’t be a stranger.
Good luck in the apple.
Comment by Bill Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 2:55 pm
Open road tolling and Allkids. I don’t benefit from either so perhaps I’m not as grateful as I should be but I’m underwhelmed by these much-hyped accomplishments.
We pay the guv and the legislators a lot of money and they benefit hugely from government service when they go out to become investment bankers, lobbyists, and contractors. So, when are they going to get to the hard stuff: universal health insurance, school funding reform, campaign finance and ethics reform, pension reform, reform of DCFS, eliminating redundancy in the state civil service.
Comment by Cassandra Friday, Dec 15, 06 @ 5:55 pm