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The AP offers up another piece in the big puzzle.

A Blagojevich administration personnel director, now part of a federal hiring probe, was accused by a subordinate of misconduct and creating a “culture of intimidation.”

The subordinate told state investigators that Robin Staggers, the deputy director for human resources at the Department of Children and Family Services, hired people without having specific jobs for them, pressured an underling to hire someone and increased the use of interns who didn’t have to go through normal employment procedures.

Christina Griffin, who was personnel manager under Staggers, made the statements in an interview with the state executive inspector general that are contained in a report obtained by The Associated Press.

The Blagojevich administration has previously confirmed that Staggers - along with two other Blagojevich aides - is being reviewed by federal prosecutors for potential “criminal wrongdoing.” Staggers, who now makes $92,500, was put on paid leave for three weeks in fall 2005, but administration lawyers who looked into hiring procedures said she should return to work.

Go read the whole thing before commenting, please.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 7:58 am

Comments

State employees have been encouraged to whistle-blow by the Blagojevich administration when encountering situations such as these. Griffin, after 11 years of doing this work at the Agency, knew something was amiss under the new “Deputy Director”, hand-picked by Blagojevich and Mell.

Griffin responded as requested by Blagojevich’s pledges, but discovered that Staggers was also responding as requested by Blagojevich. So, Staggers was moved, with pay, into another Blagojevichian-created employment position after everyone went through the motions to fix the problem.

Everyone got something out of the deal. Staggers got promoted, Blagojevich’s pals got hired, and “reformed worked”, after Blagojevich’s plant was caught and cleaned up. The only losers were veterans, those approved for hire, administrative law, credibility, legal processes, taxpayers, and Blagojevich now that this mess has been exposed.

Blagojevich ran as a reformer, remember? He doesn’t get a free pass by those claiming he was only doing what other new governors do. He said he was different, and that he would change the way government worked. He didn’t have to run as a reformer, but he said what he wanted to say to get elected, and that is why he was elected.

Situations like these are not acceptable, even if considered “normal” corrupt procedures. I am tired of hearing Blagojevich’s defenders conveniently forgetting how far he has fallen from what he had promised, and could have delivered, and what he has done once in office.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:09 am
What do you expect from a guy who worked for the Clinton administration. Honesty? Integrity?

Comment by Misc. Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:37 am
The baseless accusations continue, I see. If Staggers has broken the law, I suggest that somebody take action to correct the situation. If a law has not been broken, law enforcement should clear the names of those accused and let them get back to work.

As for McPartlin, Rich, you shouldnt even leave these slanderous accusations remain on your site. McPartlin has never been named as somebody who has broken the law. Hey Tollway Guy, if you have facts, give them to the IG. If not, quit hiding like a coward behind this blog and quit slandering the names of good people. Rich, you should really begin to consider screening these accusations. As much as your readers hate the Constitution, people are still innocent until proven guilty.

Comment by Number 8 Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 9:50 am
DRIP DRIP DRIP

Comment by DOWNSTATE Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:04 am
TO Number eight who stated…….
“The baseless accusations continue, I see. If Staggers has broken the law, I suggest that somebody take action to correct the situation. If a law has not been broken, law enforcement should clear the names of those accused and let them get back to work”

Baseless you say??!!?? PLEASE give me a break!!!

As far a your suggestions for someone to do something about it …well, his name is Patrick Fitzgerald and I think he is definenlty doing “something” about it.

I know Chris Griffen. She is a class act and is as honest as the day is long. I am sure Chris did not want to become embroiled in federal investigation as much as she did not want to become embroiled in illegal hiring practices.

So spare us the blago spin of “Baseless allegations”! The elections is over ..now its time to see the how the true blago machine operates.

Kudos to Griffen for standing tall and telling the truth on behalf of all those who have been treated unfairly (inlcuding the tax payers!). The Blago team should consider comming clean as well.

It only a matter of time before Fiztmas begins…tic toc tic toc

Comment by Larry Mullholland Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:06 am
If Griffen was being asked to hire interns as a way of circumventing Rutan, she was being asked to follow a time-honored practice in state government. Including at DCFS, I would imagine. Her actions may well have been courageous, and having both Mell and Blago potentially mad at you could certainly be a career stopper, but Illinois legislators from both parties have known of this misuse of intern programs for decades and nobody has made the slightest move to close the loophole. And with a Democratic supermajority no changes are likely in the near future. So one wonders why she bothered.

Even the ICPR (oh Cindi, where are you) hasn’t shown much interest in this one.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:26 am
Larry, I understand your point, just as I understand the same point made by every other Blago hater on this blog. I understand that Mr. Fitzgerald has stated there there are major hiring problems at several agencies, including DCFS. I’m not denying that. My point is that, unless you work for Mr. Fitzgerald, and you know for a fact that charges are imminent, discussion on the subject is premature and unfair. Again, people are innocent until proven guilty. If the law has been violated, then bring the charges and win the case. If not, people are innocent and your accusations are slanderous.

Comment by Number 8 Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:31 am
Governors are to be held to a higher standard than a legal one. Hiding behind a law or claiming innocence until proven guilty is not a standard we should accept from any governor.

This governor set the standard we hold him to. He promised. He got his mandate. If he promised that he would do what he could get away with legally, then he should hav said that. He didn’t. He promised a higher standard. He slithers under it daily.

The only “haters” on this blog are those who are so quick to name call in his defense.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:41 am
I have to agree with Larry. Sounds like #8 is living in another state. Even the Governors office is admitting officals in their administration are under investigation. Has anyone noticed how quiet it has been at the Governors office. He doesn’t come out too much anymore for those press photo’s.
Fitzgerald is in no hurry. Time and patience to get it right.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 10:44 am
Time-honored and legal, by the way.

Comment by steve schnorf Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:31 am
Number 8,

The reasoned defense in your response differs greatly with your intitial response. (ie “baseless accusations”).

I think we can all agree that people are innocent until proven guilty. I am quite sure the federal prosecuters will prove a number of the wrongdo’ers guilty.

I would also venture to guess that some of the things written on this blog are not simply accusations…They may well be those who have witnessed the Blago corruption first hand. That, my friend, is not baseless in any way.

Cassandra, I would agree with you that the hiring of interns (Public Admin Interns-PAI) is a time honored tradition. What you fail to realize is that under Ryan the salary cap was around $29,000 or $30,000. With that salary cap the usual “interns” were generally younger college grads who were in the begining stages of their career.

Blago and company, it appears, have eliminated the cap on salaries for interens (PIA). This of course paves the way to have 60 year old “INTERNS” running entire divisions of a state agencies regardless of their qualifications or any veteran who wanted a job.

Comment by Larry Mullholland Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:37 am
Griffin is a class act, and she worked well with Dawn and Company. Too bad Dawn got sent to Siberia. They could have really cleaned things up together.

Comment by Know them when I see them Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 11:55 am
If I may refer to Mr. Schnorf’s previous post, PAI’s are legal. SAy what you want about the salary range — the fact is no law has been broken. Thats what I was saying before. If a “law” has been broken, prosecute the lawbreaker. Dont slander somebody for allegedly doing something that is legal and has been done for years.

Comment by Number 8 Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 12:45 pm
To: Number 8 - Monday, Jan 22, @ 9:50 am:

At least I’ve identified where I work, you my friend used the mysterious “Number 8″. Everything I’ve said is the TRUTH, I’ve experienced it everyday for the last fours years.
As far as going to IG’s office, you must be crazy. The fox watching the proverbial hen house. There is absoultely NO protection for whistleblowers.
So Number 8 do you have firsthand knowledge of what I say is not true?

Comment by Illinois Tollway Guy Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 1:00 pm
Part of the whole “innocent till proven guilty” thing is that the burden of proof rests with the accuser. The idea that one should have to continouosly have to prove what he “didnt” do is as ridiculous as your claims of misconduct. I know that the IG has reported unfavorably on many employees of the administration. If your asertions are based on fact, report what you see.

And dont claim that you are open about your identity just because you call yourself Illinois Tollway Guy. That would mean I’m not anonomyous if I say “Chicago Guy.” Please.

Comment by Number 8 Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 1:43 pm
Stonewalling FOIA’s,

Comment by Illinois Tollway Guy Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 2:00 pm
if you want your life to end as you know it call the ig’s office. they do not help anyone except blago and his thugs. they even go as far as to intimidate those involved in investigations.

Comment by howard Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 2:16 pm
The ig’s office is the place where the feds need to go. They will find a bunch of criminals obstructing justice on all fronts. they are truly shameless.

Comment by howard Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 2:23 pm
Number Eight (8) is delusional at best. I have worked under Ms. Stagers for four years. It is ashamed they moved her gave her a raise and in all intent and purpose doing the same job. She should have been fired for lying on her job application where she states that she made more than she did almost doubling her pay. Who signed her job application that verified her credentials? Along with our infamous exiled Deputy of External Affairs and her sidekick from the Chicago Transit Authority, they created a reign of terror. Our ex director left DCFS because he vowed she never be head of personnel. No sooner did he leave our ex deputy director of external affairs was seen wandering DCF. Every contract they were involved in should be looked at, every person they hired should be evaluated, and all their family they hired or gave bogus contracts to should give back that money. I guess if you lived in Disneyland Number 8 your reality could be a fantasy. When will Staggers be fired???????????? Money that should be spent on the children not Staggers family and friends.

Comment by Concern for the Children Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 2:58 pm
VanillaMan,
Yes, you’re right, elected office holders are subject to a higher standard. However, the judges are the voters and in this case, even with all the articles about allegations of ethics violations, the judges went with Not Guilty and elected him to 4 more years. So the next time the higher standard will come into play is 2010, though I suspect, if he is still in office, that Blagojevich won’t run again.

Yes, he said he’d change politics as usual. He didn’t. Obviously the voters didn’t notice or care.

Comment by cermak_rd Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 4:20 pm
Cermak_rd,

I am begining to believe that there is a perverse pride in the electorate in getting fleeced by their political leaders.

I was discussing Hired Truck with a life-long resident of Chicago, and a lifelong Democrat, and she shrugged, saying, somewhat annoyed, “The people don’t care about that.” When I brought up the Corruption Tax, asking if they cared that some $200-300 million a year gets wasted, stolen, fleeced, what-have-you, her dismissive response was “Ahhh, it’s the cost of doing business,” and “it will never change here.” She seemed strangely proud of it all.

It hit me: Political corruption has reached the level of the Bears - a proud SYMBOL of Chicago! How pathetic.

I am presently investigating if the voters of this City will be dumb enough to adopt Florida swampland as a “proud symbol of Chicago” so that someone else can rob them blind.

Comment by Bubs Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 5:03 pm
Is 8 mascarading as Bill?

Comment by Huh? Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 6:34 pm
# 8 is in denial….

Comment by I.D.O.T. Bleachers Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 7:41 pm
It is scary working for the state when you know that the OEIG is supposed to be looking out for the state employees and that whistle blowers are supposed to be protected. Truth of the matter is state employees are probably more scared now than before. A new year has begun, which means soon a new round of ethics testing will begin, too. The only people who will held accountable, frontline staff, not the ones who truly to have to be watched.

What a sad, screwed up system they’ve made.

Comment by Tessa Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 7:42 pm
Number 8
Who’s Constitution? What laws?
This administration has ignored and stomped all over our constitution and our laws.

Comment by Social Chaos Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 8:06 pm
The finger pointing here is pitiful. I’ve read this blog, and participated in comments, for the last four years, and the song never changes. Its like Groundhog Day. Those of you who are here making claims of harrassment and intimidation were probably the same people who were doing much worse during the 26 years of republican rule pre blago. You were fortunate enough, however, to not have a blog where you could go, unload your stories, and pick up your ball and go home…over and over and over again. You were fortunate enough that there wasnt a place like this blog where anybody could go and tell stories about you.

Also, if the OEIG is the cause of intimidation, wouldnt we have heard something about it? I read the papers — never have I heard that the OEIG intimidates people. I have heard that people want OEIG reports made public, but thats a different story. What will it take to make some of you happy?

Comment by Buck Naked Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 8:22 pm
Buck, the blog has been live for a bit over 2 years, not 4. I can understand your frustration to a point, but you have to admit that there’s a ton of smoke out there, fanned by Patrick Fitzgerald.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 8:28 pm
Buck Naked -
Why doesn’t Blago and company just come clean?
What is there to hide?
Then all these comments would quickly disappear.

Comment by Social Chaos Monday, Jan 22, 07 @ 8:59 pm
I have told the OEIG about major misconduct at an agency, I personally witnessed on more than one occasion this activity it involves a major dept and dir level personnel. To date not one thing has been done and i believe after my conversation with the OEIG that they are no more than a shill for the Govs office, their main effort is to put out fies not fight corruption. I fear for my job daily do not trust these guys. And folks those two employees who were fired are telling the truth.

Comment by The Playing Field Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 12:21 am
I have read all of these comments and all the news stories concerning the hiring probes into the present governor’s administration. Let me present the side that is missed by all the news stories etc..I worked for the state for 19 years at IDOT in Schaumburg and had a clean work record. One of the governor’s people who is no longer with the state took my job away and a bunch of inexperienced people were hired to do less work and got paid more. I have worked hard in the community doing many wholesome things. At age 57, I am losing my house now, because I have not been able to find another job. No one wants to hire older people.. This all happened in May of 2004. Some might say “well, that’s politics,” but I have never voted in a primary election, and worked for a couple of different governors. It never mattered to me who was running things. I never asked a caller who wanted information, if they were a Democrat or a Republican before I helped them. Why does it matter what I am who was actually doing the job? I also remember the govenor’s people going around and telling us to “keep working…and that no one is going to lose their job..and we’re not like the other party.” That was all political trash. I ended up getting dismissed for no reason at all..A transfer to another bureau that could have used me was also blocked by the governor’s people. I guess people who still have jobs don’t understand.
Meanwhile, the union is waiting around to see what happens.. This is the side of the story that never comes out in the papers.. The governor ruined my life.. Is he and his people going to come to my house to help me move my stuff before the sheriff hauls it all to the curb? Does he even care?

Comment by John Ghrist Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 5:26 pm
Since I don’t know what is “being done”, I have no idea whether it has “been done for years”.

Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 5:57 pm
To John Ghrist,

I too have fired by this governor. I & my family have been used by the governor for publicity stunts. We were upset, disappointed and felt powerless to respond to his unfairness and in the view of many, illegal.

This administration has decided that state jobs are thier plunder. The jobs pale in comparison to the contracting irregularties.

However, It is now up to you to decide the road you will travel. Only you can allow your life to be “ruined”. Some one needs your permission to ruin your life.

I do not give that permission to anyone. Step up.

Comment by 217 Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 6:29 pm
It is terible that someone looses their job but it is worse that under the previous r govs i applied for over 25 jobs and was told to my face by cms employees you are wasting your time if you dont have a r prec comm call for u you might as well go talk to the wall you wont get hired. i hate to hear of anyone loosing their home but i havent had one for 26 years i now do so who is right probably neither but you rs who all all now claiming that politics wasnt involved in you getting your jobs are crying up the wrong tree. I will give you some advice if you want to get public sentiment heading in your direction start fessing up politics was involved in you getting your job and my not being able to get one for 26 years you wrote the rule book and we will keep using it. i wish you luck.

Comment by Back Seat Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 10:31 pm
Politics was indeed involved. However, As it has been stated here many times, & to my knowledge, it was legal. Preferences sure… but legal. That is the difference.

Comment by Larry Tuesday, Jan 23, 07 @ 11:00 pm