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* Umm…
Diana Rickert speaks about her summer. No she wasn't fired.
Welcome to the dysfunction of Illinois government https://t.co/CEHGquBzKs— John McCormick (@McCormick150) October 7, 2017
Amazing. #rewritinghistory https://t.co/pgfcPMKWmb
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) October 7, 2017
Funny that @Diana_Rickert is complaining about state employees not doing their jobs when she was never in the office unless @GovRauner was. https://t.co/sau4kbJvT4
— Radical Candor (@RadicalCandorIL) October 7, 2017
Her “summer”? She was on staff for six weeks. And she wasn’t fired? Yeah, OK…
A day after crafting a controversial statement citing Gov. Bruce Rauner’s position as a “white male,” the governor’s new communications staff has been ousted — with more exits on the way.
The staffers — hired in July after a staff purge and series of protest resignations — were asked to resign; one was asked to stay but chose to resign.
* From her op-ed…
A lot of people have asked why I took the role, considering I have spent the bulk of my career railing against the government.
It came down to this: If I declined the job, I’d watch Illinois’ problems go unfixed and wonder if I could have made a difference. Or, I could enter the nucleus of state government and attempt to change the system from within.
And how did that work out?…
The experience was eye-opening, but after six weeks I decided to leave the position. It was a dysfunctional workplace in a flailing administration. The bad I saw far outweighed any good I could do.
But perhaps worst of all is that I learned early on that there would be no fixing the system from within, especially from my role; this is a state government that has been broken for decades. It is designed to reject improvement in every form, at every level.
It’s always somebody else’s fault. Always. The only real surprise is that the word “Madigan” doesn’t appear anywhere in the piece.
…Adding… An affiliate of the Illinois Policy Institute…
News that will surprise *literally nobody* - Diana Rickert is now a Vice President at the Liberty Justice Center, according to her Linkedin pic.twitter.com/gSF8gGrL0a
— IL Working Together (@IllinoisWorking) October 10, 2017
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:37 am
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Lol, when he announced her departure, Governor Rauner made a reference about (I’m paraphrasing here) “when she came on board last year…”
I was like, huh? This is September. She started in mid-July. It was even a different fiscal year, although it may have been Fall when he fired her.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:42 am
Isn’t it weird how people who hate government can never do a good job when they take a government position?
Comment by Downstate Dem Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:45 am
How many missteps occurred in Communications while she was there? These Policy Institute people continue to amaze.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:47 am
I worked at two state agencies, over a ten year period.
This rings very true.
Comment by cdog Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:48 am
The 37 day test of Diana Rickert…
As a white male, Bruce Rauner made the best decision to 86 her and her lack of professionalism and amaturish view of what words actually mean when you use them to speak for the governor of the 5th largest state in America.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:48 am
This piece truly sounds like it was written by someone who didn’t actually work for the executive in state government. It more so sounds like someone re telling events from their friend at a bar re telling their struggles at work. Which is pretty funny because if you have a job for 6 weeks did you really even work there? this story was filled with blatant lies and inaccuracies. And honestly if you spent your life railing against state government why on earth would you take a job that costs the state government 165K a year to keep you employed? The hypocrisy is just hilarious. We all know what really happened, and at the end of the day her 6 week tenure will be viewed as one of the most embarrassing moments in Illinois state government history. Congrats, I guess you did accomplish something during your overpaid summer joke of a job.
Comment by Iggy Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:48 am
Reminds me of Sarah Palin. When things are not going as easily as you anticipated, exit stage left.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:49 am
I never heard of someone so “in tune” with the ills of state government…
…and couldn’t stay there long enough for direct deposit to kick in for payroll.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:50 am
The word “victim” comes to mind.
If you are a victim, it’s not your fault.
Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:51 am
Next will be the story about how k-rass spectacularly refreshed the staff and was instrumental in school funding reform. I wish I could be this shameless.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:52 am
“I,” “I,” “me,” “me.” What a true public servant. I mean really, why was this even published? Why was this person employed by taxpayers? Why would they want to make such a flaming point about their incompetence and disloyalty for future employers? This has nothing to do with party or principles (and I doubt this person has any of the latter).
Comment by Albany Park Patriot Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:54 am
After six long weeks inside Illinois government she came to the exact same conclusions that she had before that long slog! The lack of self awareness is stunning.
Comment by Quizzical Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:54 am
If Rickert was as good at spin as she is at lying about the facts of her departure, she’d still be working for Rauner.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:58 am
Two quotes really jump out at me:
“Underperformers aren’t fired; they’re simply transferred to different positions, shuffled elsewhere on the payroll or tucked away at state agencies.”
Like Leslie Munger???
“This is not to say that every state employee whom I met was unproductive, conniving or terrible. There are a lot of good people in state government who really are good workers.”
That’s exactly what she’s saying. It’s the Trump description of Mexicans: “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Comment by Steve Rogers Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 10:59 am
Mic drop.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:00 am
As a white male, I find the radical lack of candor here absolutely hilarious.
Why the tronc edit board chose to throw their own reporters under the bus to promote this ridiculous fairy tale is somehow bizarre and expected at the same time.
But seriously, they are making editorial decisions to spread information to their readers that they know not to be true. That is simply unethical, and lying. They have no credibility.
Putting aside Rickert’s dubious claims, consider her own proposition, that of a juvenile, petulant quitter:
Illinois has been corrupt for decades, I couldn’t fix it in six weeks.
As a flack.
So I quit.
Not exactly the spirit that won the west. And you want people to believe that? Getting fired for being in over your head is much better.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:01 am
Just wait until we get closer to the election and see how the Troncos use their talents to rewrite the Guv’s term.
I see Ms. Rickert landed at the Liberty Justice Center, the legal eagles pushing Janus. And isn’t that what Ms. Rasmussen is devoting her professional talents to these days?
Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:02 am
This is unreal. Literally. She’s creating and living her own alternate dimension of the Summer of ‘17.
Comment by White Male Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:04 am
—
This rings very true.
—
Her story — narrative, fiction — whatever you want to call it rings true for any workplace. If it’s true, then it’s reflected in countless private workplaces as well.
The schemer looking for a raise. The web shoppers.
Whatever.
What she’s describing is the generically unappealing modern workplace.
She just happened to be fired from it for using tepid, pseudo-political identity memes like “as a white male.” Save it for the college campus.
Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:07 am
A “dysfunctional workplace” is a good opportunity to excel and show how you can improve things. It’s usually a good jumping point to move on to bigger and better things. Unfortunately, it typically takes more than a month.
Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:10 am
Wow, the fanatical denial of what this woman writes is a hoot. Have any of you ever gone to State of Illinois buildings? Most of them are indeed rat traps. Poorly maintained and poorly organized. Her reports concerning staff staff are just as spot on. I had had to deal with many state employees who aren’t qualified for their positions and don’t know what they are doing. they get the jobs because of arcane union rules that give them preference since they are current employees, often in completely unrelated departments. This isn’t a Dem vs Rep issue, it’s a what kind of state government do we want issue. Also, purchasing rules are exactly as she reported. For years my company had to by overpriced and under powered computers from a “preferred” vendor. We routinely had to spend twice what a better machine would cost on the retail market. The entire system is broken. Are there good people in the system, of course, but those with the real power don’t want change because that would destroy their little kingdoms. What we need more of are stories in the tribune regarding how broken state government truly is.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:13 am
More time to reread The Fountainhead.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:14 am
Well here we go. Smear the messenger who dared to blow the whistle on state workers who aren’t doing the jobs we pay them to do.
Comment by Chris P. Bacon Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:14 am
BTW - it’s interesting to note that Rickert doesn’t list her state experience on her linkedIn profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianasroka/
That’s … well, a bit weird.
Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:16 am
Isn’t the Liberty Justice Institute (her new gig) just an offshoot of the IPI? So she basically went back there.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:20 am
I wonder if Rasmussen will turn up at the Liberty Justice Center - they are representing Janus and Rasmussen said she was going to be involved in the effort to end fair share fees.
Comment by Grand Avenue Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:21 am
Her descriptions of the Thompson Center are spot on (having been there multiple times during the past year). The place is dirty and in need of repairs. In the Assembly Hall on the concourse level there are rust marks from a burst pipe. I thought the comments on the surly or invisible clerical staff were true also.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:22 am
I worked for the state over 30 years, and any bureaucracy will have what the “Six Week Warrior” courageously endured. Frustrating, sure. Life fulfilling, mmmmmm nah. But you focus on what you are paid to do to the best of your ability. Prepare a plan and propose it to your boss (with credible documentation). Sometimes it works, often it doesn’t go very far, but you persist trying to improve the things that could be improved. She has demonstrated what she is for all to see.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:23 am
The entire part about the employee asking for a raise sounds made up. Why would someone who doesn’t work under her ask her for a $25,000 raise right after she was appointed? That makes no sense. Also, if she told Rickert it could be done through back channels to keep it off the books, like others had done, she should have immediately contacted her ethics officer and reported the incident. It’s just reeks of BS.
Comment by Han's Solo Cup Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:25 am
The malcontents and whiners have taken over the world. Go do something productive if you can muster up the energy. The whining has zapped it all out of you apparently. Less mouth, more activity.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:27 am
==Wow, the fanatical denial of what this woman writes is a hoot==
Most people arent denying it. It’s not really groundbreaking news. What’s also indisputable is she tries to frame the entire article based on a complete fabrication of the circumstances surrounding her job and her departure. You’d think someone who is skilled in messaging would know not to do something so stupid as that to distract from a point she wanted to make…..and that’s exactly why she was fired. She still doesn’t understand that.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:29 am
When the history of this time is written, the failure of institutions will require a great deal of attention.
In this case, it’s not just a simple matter of the 1st Amendment and letting people say whatever they want. Judgment is required and a sense of obligation to readers to not offer them straight out, obvious lies.
For the Trib to publish what it should know is total rubbish is a disservice to the state. It’s polluting the public discourse with total nonsense. This paper, as an institution, is a handmaiden to madness. (And, financially it continues to suffer in the market. When will that market discipline its editorial page so reveres cause it to rethink whether offering junk content is a good business model? Is a second bankruptcy necessary?)
Comment by Moe Berg Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:30 am
Perhaps the troncs can follow up with Rauner on Rickert’s claim that as chief flack she had authority to grant $25K pay raises.
That sounds like a real story, if true. Rickert certainly could provide guidance on how that would be possible.
If they don’t follow up, they must not believe her — but printed it anyway.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:32 am
This sounds like Lt. Governor Slip and Sue. Remember she claimed when she worked for Jim Ryan she uncovered all sorts of corruption in state government yet somehow chose not to report it.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:39 am
If this is all true, it raises some really interesting follow-up questions for the intrepid reporters at the Trib.
Who did she report the illegal use of state equipment to? Who did she report the payroll scheme to? And what action did the person she reported these illegal things to take to rectify those situations?
Why doesn’t she name names instead of the mysterious, perhaps even fictional, “they”? By not naming names she continues to enable these horrible state employees. Were these slackers working in the same (governor’s) office where she temporarily worked?
I’ll hang up, pop some corn and wait for answers.
Comment by Decaf Coffee Party Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:46 am
I was finally able to read my Sunday Trib yesterday and I literally felt ill after reading that garbage. She was not in state government long enough to have an opinion, as far as I am concerned. I find the article laughable and typical of people who know nothing about how government runs/or those who think it should be run like a business. I think it is safe to say, Diana Rickert is a quitter. If she had any gumption (assuming she really did leave and not fired) she would have stayed on and worked a lot harder to make changes. Guess she is not successful at everything she does.
Comment by honeybadger Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:51 am
=== Smear the messenger who dared to blow the whistle===
Um, that would require naming some names.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:54 am
Of course, I cannot say whether or not her examples of state employee behavior are true, but nowhere does she give the impression that she actually left the 16th floor. Her direct contacts seem to all be with the Governor’s office, not the agencies.
Comment by Whatever Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:55 am
If she saw some of the things she said she saw, she is actually legally required to report those things to OIG or she herself could be guilty of violations of the Ethics Act.
Hopefull someone in the OEIG office reads that article and follows up with Ms. Rickert.
Comment by Union proud Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 11:57 am
Written exactly as I would expect from an entitled white female millennial.
(that was snark, people)
Comment by whatthewhat Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:18 pm
Why didn’t she fire all the bad apples? She never says she was prevented from doing so. She was working in the Governor’s office so just about everyone around her were at-will employees who can be fired without having to go through union protocols. Even the people she was likely dealing with most frequently at the various agencies, like comms and policy staffers, are at-will.
Comment by The Captain Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:20 pm
==It’s up to us as individuals to reform our communities and our state from the outside, because the insiders never will.==
Kudos to Diana, who became an “insider” in only six weeks. Did she wear a wire or use a spy camera disguised as a lapel pin?
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:24 pm
Rickert is not talking about the rank-and-file state employees who are union members, the front-line workers, from what I can tell. Very few people if any try to solicit raises or say they don’t do much but want a job promised to them.
There are thousands of state workers who have so much more to show taxpayers than the abysmal failures of Rauner and the IPI. Workers help build the state up every day. Rauner and his supporters have done much to tear it down.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:24 pm
To the Post,
Diana Rickert once suggested that state workers should be fired, then rehired to usurp the rights of state workers.
In May, 2015, Diana Rickert wrote in a commentary…
===The suggestion to lay off the entire state government workforce and endure a government shutdown might seem jarring. But it’s really quite simple: If we cannot afford the retirement benefits offered and we’re not allowed to change them, then we cannot afford to keep these workers on the payroll. Doing nothing puts lavish retirements in front of everything else state government is supposed to do.===
That’s the mindset of Diana Rickert. The mindset that knowing things or understanding things isn’t as important to Rickert as long as her side is the side that is taken.
Now we get this this commentary.
The fiction Rickert wrote is all predicated on one thing that she requires the reader to ignore. She “parted ways” with the governor after thinking, then writing, the (I still can’t believe this step) distributing a written statement that had the governor of the 5th largest state in America unable to comment on a cartoon her past employer published/tweeted/put on a website because “as a white male”
As a communication professional, Rickert can think that, she can type that, she can internally discuss that, but never ever distribute that as an official statement.
The rank amateurish way Rickert lacks in fundamental knowledge of state government and her lacking in communication expertise all but demanded a rehabilitation by Rickert, you know, to “set the record straight” kinda thingy.
What we all got was a revisionist history that all but ignores misstep after misstep, like the Bret Baier fiasco, all but slicing and dicing the governor in a way that one would consider Rickert’s own malpractice, either being marginalized where she couldn’t help, or thinking and helping and the end result being enough video for 3 or more hit type commercials.
So, here’s what happened. Rickert wrote from her anger, not from her heart, or soul, or a place where you know you were wrong. Rickert blames state enployees, a building, an administration, even office equipment, because all those things collectively, they made her (Rickert) think, type, then distribute “as a white male”, and sealed the fate that state employees, a building, an administration, even office equipment knew would end her 37 days with Bruce Rauner.
What will haunt her will be those days with Rauner, but what will follow her will be this column, and the sour grapes, and the fiction she knows she wrote, and sitting in front of people knowing they know she was dishonest about how it all ended too.
Rickert will be fine, but Rickert, especially after writing such drivel, will never be the same.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:54 pm
This is especially funny when you realize that she wasn’t describing “state employees” at large, she was just describing her coworkers in the Governor’s office. Its not like there are random civil service employees located around her office inside the Governor’s office.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:56 pm
I guess shaking up Springfield was hiring more ghost payrollers and hacks.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 12:59 pm
Frankly, I believe every word she says about her dealings with state workers during her tenure. Like Grandson said, as a policy advisor to the Governor she would have had little to no interactions with regular employees. She would have worked almost exclusively with other Gov office employees (Rauner hires), agency directors and assistant directors (Rauner appointees), legislative liasons (more Rauner hires) and legislative members and staff (Republican party hires). I’ll happily take her word that these people are all terrible employees who do nothing all day but waste taxpayer money.
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 1:06 pm
=== Smear the messenger who dared to blow the whistle===
Um, that would require naming some names.
You beat me to the punch.
Comment by Lobo Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 1:30 pm
Wow. Sounds like the slackers are in the Guv’s office. He needs to shake things up in there. Leave other good state employees alone.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 1:34 pm
Newsflash! Thompson Center is a deathtrap and Illinois employees are hit-or-miss on productivity! This makes me smile. It’s amazing how an entity so focused on Illinois (IPI/LJC/etc.) can be so clueless to how it works. How is it possible that every one of them is like “OMG! It’s so horrible, I never knew!”?
Comment by Illinoisian Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 1:34 pm
Looks like @RadicalCandorIL took this personally. State employees are to be respected for their service to the state. Sure there are some bad apples. This article was specifically about the Governor’s office and the ‘I am in this for myself’ work environment created by the former Rauner staffers.
Comment by Black Balled Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 1:36 pm
Her superstar powers we not enough to save us. I’m glad she is still impressed with herself though.
Comment by Wayman Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 1:45 pm
It’s strange that the tronc edit board didn’t ask the basic “who, what, when, where” journalism questions before running this self-serving tantrum.
Rickert has made some serious allegations against unnamed political appointees within the governor’s inner circle. Aren’t the trönclodytes the least bit curious as to facts and details, given the mission of their profession?
And what about Diana the Virtuous? Does she not feel obligated to report this skullduggery to the proper authorities, she being all about good-government, liberty and justice and such?
What prevents the troncs and Rickert from doing the right thing and pursuing these matters?
Can someone ask them?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 2:02 pm
You can’t fire me…………….I quit.
The lady doth protest too much, methinks……and in that itty bitty teeny weeny tiny little squeaky annoying voice.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 2:23 pm
I can’t believe the tribune printed that. Even the cocktail party circuit wouldn’t have bought that messaging.
Comment by wow Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:07 pm
If you were bounced from basic training after just six weeks, you weren’t a ‘veteran’ — you were a ‘washout’.
I suppose that explains why Diana Rickert omitted as her stint as the governor’s deputy chief of staff for communications from her Linkedin profile.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 3:33 pm
OMG. A 2015 macbook air. Like, you expect me to work here? This the worst place evah!!! Ugh. As if.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Oct 10, 17 @ 6:41 pm