Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

How’s that fumigating going, governor?

Posted in:

Illinois

* The SJ-R’s editorial today is entitled “Quinn’s ‘fumigation’ only just begun.” It’s conclusion…

Quinn’s effectiveness as a reformer will be measured in large part by the speed and thoroughness with which he rids state government of these holdovers from his predecessor’s sorry tenure.

Agreed. And maybe he should take a closer look at this pronouncement…

The tollway’s inspector general issued a report Thursday saying the agency was clear of any improprieties related to the corruption arrest of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

At the same time, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has put $1.8 billion in construction projects linked to the political scandal on hold.

That’s more than half again the size of the “mini” state capital bill announced with such fanfare a few weeks ago. If nothing was wrong, then why is a project which will create thousands of jobs on hold? Doesn’t that contradict itself? And was that investigation really thorough?

Tollway Inspector General Tracy Smith, an attorney, interviewed Chairman John Mitola, three tollway directors and staff and found no misconduct, she said. […]

Former tollway Executive Director Brian McPartlin, who was in charge of the agency during the period in question, was not interviewed, said Smith, who is a tollway employee.

So, they’re clean, but the contract is on hold and only four people were interviewed? Strange, that.

* Speaking of strange…

Sneed hears investigators from the Illinois inspector general’s office confiscated computers from the Healthcare and Family Services facility at the Thompson Center recently. Hmmm. Stay tuned

* And speaking of reform, whenever somebody claims they have the “support of the people” even though they’ve never been elected to anything, that person is in for at least a little ribbing…

Patrick Collins, the former federal prosecutor who was the head of the reform commission appointed by the governor, says his recommendations have the support of the people.

Collins says his 15-member commission traveled to much of the state, taking testimony from regular people on political and government reform in Southern, Central, Western and Northern Illinois, as well as Chicago and the suburbs.

He has the support of a lot of people, I’m sure, but so did Rod Blagojevich. More, even.

* But this is kinda silly. Speaker Madigan has held numerous “Committees of the Whole,” but he wont’ allow one for the reform commissions proposals? Not helpful…

“No, there’s no chance at all, for heaven’s sake,” Currie said of the prospects of a House hearing where Commission chair Patrick Collins could testify.

* Related…

* Daley mum on state reform push: “That would be up to Springfield, but I haven’t read it yet,” the mayor said. “The whole incident dealing with [former Gov. Rod] Blagojevich is, of course, alarming to everybody in regards to what has taken place. So I think they have to look at it very carefully, especially Springfield, you know, updating many of the issues concerning the ethics and concerning all of the involvement of taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers work hard and they pay their taxes and they want that money basically used wisely and efficiently and fairly all over the state.”

* Tollway contractor wants more money despite criticisms

* House leaders at odds on discussing new state ethics report

* When Fixing Government, Beware of the Brainiacs

* Hynes unveils bill on pre-need funeral trust funds

*Graffiti stencil of disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich appears around city

* Blago wants access to campaign fund

* Prosecutor: Blagojevich case looks airtight

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:01 am

Comments

Tracy Smith has no independence as the Tollway Inspector General. She is an “at-will” employee, hired by the Tollway and can be dismissed for any reason.

So, based upon this employment situation how tough do you really think she interviewed her superiors?

Comment by Tollway Joe Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:19 am
David Ellis - Blago’s impeachment prosecutor - says there will be new indictments coming. Does anyone have more info on that? What are you experts hearing as to when this will happen? I would think some of the hiring/firing antics (at agencies such as IDOT) and more pay to play will be exposed. He may ultimately be looking at over 300 years of prison time. My wish is that he lives long enough to serve every minute.

Comment by Stooges Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:22 am
Well the green-lane/HOV thing was going to end up being a huge bust for the tollway

http://htsblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-hovlexus-lanes-are-bad-idea-of.html

Since they way they wanted to do it almost never works, perhaps it is good they put the breaks on that one.

Comment by OneMan Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:29 am
With respect to the “fumigation” article, what is striking about Doubet’s departure is why it took so long. His job duties and good fortune in the salary department both strongly signal patronage employee doing the political bidding of his masters and getting rewarded greatly for it. He should have been on Quinn’s early departure list.

But did Quinn have an early departure list? It doesn’t seem like it, given his apparent extreme reluctance to say goodbye to most upper level Blago folks. Did he even ask agency heads to submit their pro forma resignations?

Maybe he thinks that if he keeps them on they and their “sponsors” won’t defect to Lisa in February. Dream on.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:30 am
Thanks to some leftover wiretaps from the Blago days, we were recently able to hear the interview of Tollway Chairman John Mitola conducted by Inspector General Tracy Smith:

Smith: “Good morning, Boss.”

Mitola: “Morning, employee Smith. Did you bring my coffee?”

Smith: “Yes, two sugars, right?”

Mitola: “Thanks”.

Smith: “Sir, sorry, but I have to ask you if there was any direction from Governor Blagojevich to have the Tollway announce uneeded projects so he could gather illegal campaign donations from contractors. Was there a deal like this?”

Mitola: “No.” [wink]

Smith: “Thank you, sir. I am so releived. No further questions. My report clearing the Tollway of any wrongdoing will be on your desk in an hour for your review and editing.”

Comment by Oh Really? Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:33 am
The tollway story is pretty funny. “Our lawyer looked into it and found nothing wrong. Move along then. Nothing to see here.”

Good luck with that. This is the same crew that supposedly didn’t notice when a known mob associate who was working for them stole millions of dollars in quarters (imagine how difficult that would be, and how long it would take).

I know Tony Rezko has a lot to chat about with the feds, but at some point they might get to the tollway. Remember, somehow, some way, Tony got his restaurants in all the redeveloped oasis.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:46 am
A name that has been mentioned many times on this site is David Phelps. His ‘employment’ at IDOT needs to end yesterday; as does his friends’ ‘employment’ that he secured for them during the blago years. These created positions need to go away- now.

Comment by King Ralph Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:48 am
You cannot expect a committee running parallel to a legislative body to change that legislative body. Change only occurs within, not parallel. If Collins wanted the General Assembly to accept his report, he needed to have created that report with full General Assembly buy in. It is damn silly to expect a governor’s committee, however sincere, to drop a report onto the laps of the General Assembly and then walk away believing the report would be followed.

It is damn silly for Collins to think he can browbeat and put political pressure on Madigan so that the Speaker would give Collins’ report a review. It is even sillier for Collins to believe that he is building a political reputation as he fails to engage the Speaker. Collins looks like he doesn’t know what he is doing, because he doesn’t.

He might know a great deal about reforming our corrupted government, but he seems to have completely dropped the ball understanding how governments operate, which is negating what he really knows.

I would have never started this job without buy in from the Speaker in some way. Quinn’s blessings are not enough, and are in fact, almost irrelevant consider the scope of Collins’ report. I would have never started this job without buy in from each of the Four Tops in some way.

Collins’ report may be the greatest report ever - but it won’t go anywhere with the approach Collins took in creating it. Change comes from within, not from outside. Without General Assembly support, Collins’ report is DOA, regardless of how much Quinn or Collins browbeats.

And they should have known that going in.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:50 am
People, do not paste entire news articles into comments. It’s a sure way to get your post deleted and always aggravates me.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:51 am
Sorry

Comment by Wacker Drive Friday, May 1, 09 @ 10:53 am
Feds are way ahead of the Illinois Tollway’s Inspector General Tracy Smith.
NICE TRY!

Comment by Poolside @ Hotel Ibiza Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:03 am
There are vast numbers of worker bee types within DCFS and DHS who are beginning to lose hope that the “fumigation” truck will ever pull up in front of their buildings. Come on Pat Quinn, man up!!

Comment by Former State Employee Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:06 am
There was a “wink” caught on a “wiretap”?

Love it! Technology is sure improving by leaps and bounds!

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:17 am
How is it that in Illinois agency inspectors general report to the head of the agency instead of to an outside bipartisan commission or some other entity less likely to be affected by political priorities.

Some inspectors general probably really are independent but it would appear that this depends
on the character of the individual holding the office. That’s taking too much of a chance.

Comment by Cassandra Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:21 am
Rich, you nearly have it right. A major tollway improvement program will nearly match what the mini-capital put in for roads and bridges. But, the tollway inspector general issue again makes the whole thing lose focus. Ok, did Children’s Memorial Hospital hire an inspector general to investigate how the governor tried to shake down its CEO? Is there anything there that suggests the tollway improvements are a bad idea? Quinn’s paralysis on moving ahead with this is bewildering. Blagojevich broke the law, so let’s punish motorists and prevent people from being put to work. Sorry, the logic does not compute.

Comment by phocion Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:27 am
The feds requested all backups from DCFS statewide, a couple years ago or so. Unfortunately they went through higher ups in DCFS before being given to the feds. Don’t know if they could be doctored or not, but it seems a little odd to me.

Comment by Cranky Old Man Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:32 am
Cassie is right that “sponsors” must be delaying Quinn’s actions; because it sure is simple enough to figure out what the Blago “people” did.

All Quinn has to do is look at salary data from 2003 to 2008. You’ll see many of the kids who started out as liaisons or in entry level positions at 35, 40 or 50K are now in the 80s. This is to give them a “last highest four years” for a better retirment someday (no matter what happens, they figure).

Next, most of the key agency people were placed in personnel (especially CMS), budget and chief of staff positions because those areas control the agencies (hiring, money and policy). The liaisons functioned and still function as campaign “volunteers”. Quinn can do whatever he wants but as long as the Blago people still control these positions, they still can do what they want and undermine Quinn at the same time.

The layout is there. Is the will there to really fumigate? Doubtful. But it certainly isn’t rocket science.

Comment by Ms Port Belly Mushroom Friday, May 1, 09 @ 11:36 am
I really thought Quinn had more names ready to go and would have replaced a lo more people by now.

What I can not figure out is the reason for delay. Does he maybe not have replacements yet so has to wait? or do these people have his support for now so he wants to keep them in play. Either way it would be nice to hear from the Gov.

Comment by Ghost Friday, May 1, 09 @ 12:03 pm
Oh Really said:

if there was any direction from Governor Blagojevich to have the Tollway announce uneeded projects

As phocion suggests, name one unneeded tollway project out of the $1.8 bil. If the program is legit, why wait? If not, investigate!

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, May 1, 09 @ 12:10 pm
To Six Degrees of Separation:

The Tollway’s “Green Lanes” project is a total scam. No backup information, no study, just “Hey, it sounds good, lets do it”.

The interchange at I-294/ I-57 is a multi-million dollar boondoggle that helps few motorists.

If there’s no problem, why do you think they’ve put the whole plan on hold?

Comment by Oh Really? Friday, May 1, 09 @ 12:20 pm
Oh Really-

Agreed on Green Lanes- any project that increases capacity for one class of vehicles by reducing it for another should be closely scrutinized before it is enacted.

For I-57 and 294 interchange - if you held a referendum on it in the south suburbs, it would likely pass 3-1 like that Build 53 referendum up in Lake County.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, May 1, 09 @ 12:45 pm
Wordslinger is on target reminding us of Rezko’s restaurants in the tollway oasis. Also remember that Quinn Chief of Staff Jack Lavin was a part of that same organization.

Comment by One of the 35 Friday, May 1, 09 @ 1:15 pm
Six Degrees

No doubt the I-57/ I-294 interchange idea is popular in the southside. I just think the $500 million price tag isn’t really cost effective. Right now you can access both roads at 159th Street, just two miles away.

At 2/3rds the cost of the newly built I-355 extension, I think the money would be better spent elsewhere, or not at all.

Comment by Oh Really? Friday, May 1, 09 @ 1:21 pm
There were rumors swirling in the Capitol City THursday nite that Quinn had bounced several directors, but alas the hacks still rule….Word is the Quinnsters are claiming that despite record unemployment they cannot woo anyone to state govt.

Comment by 2ConfusedCrew Friday, May 1, 09 @ 1:39 pm
Blagoyevich/CMS created two new levels of “management” in their divisions - Deputy Director and “chief operating officer”. While it is arguable that the Deps occasionally stick their noses into the public’s business, “chief operating officers” are rarely seen but they earn over $100k and need offices in both Springfield and Chicago. I wonder what their travel reimbursements look like.

If you check Blagojevich fundraising lists you will probably find four- and five-digit campaign contributions to their Rod. Quinn needs money and those folks pay. But what do they do for the taxpayer, Pat?

Comment by Wasted Days and Wasted Space Friday, May 1, 09 @ 2:36 pm
I’d be skeptical that Quinn can’t find anybody to replace high level state officials even if many potential hires may view him as a lame duck already. Although that could be a factor. There is a distinct possibility that after February he’ll be a total cypher.

But even giving him a pass on some recruiting delays, why is he keeping so many unnecessary upper level bureaucrats in the $90k to $100k range. We’re supposed to be in a budget crisis.
Yet we continually hear accounts of politically connected upper level bureaucrats making $90, $100k and upwards who apparently have been granted lifetime (or at least Democrats-in-charge lifetime) employment. I guess as long as you pay into some Democrat’s campaign chest for your high-paying state job, it doesn’t really matter which Democrat.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 1, 09 @ 3:03 pm
I 57,I294 Interchange was boosted by Jesse Jackson JR. Since he’s been tainted let’s move on to some really important project.Also check on the owners of the toll collection company under contract to the tollroad.You’ll be surprised.

Comment by aronan Friday, May 1, 09 @ 4:29 pm
Anonymous I think you stated it right when you said “it doesn’t really matter which Democrat” when it comes to unnecessary upper leverl bureaucrats. We had our Social Security numbers and names put on the net because some “Democratic left over Hack” was down loading music. They fired one the first of April, but the download Queen is still employeed. Go figure, now an entire agency will have to pay to have their credit frozen! Different players…same game.

Comment by Justice Friday, May 1, 09 @ 4:38 pm
Maybe we should have the tollway look into a less expensive way to connect the 2 highways.

I-80 and I-55 were connected at a cost of $25 million, just 5 years ago.

http://www.ciorba.com/transportation/expressway.php?proj=3

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, May 1, 09 @ 4:40 pm
Correction, not having to PAY to have it frozen, but for unfreezes and additional credit reports we will have to pay on a continuous basis.

Comment by Justice Friday, May 1, 09 @ 4:40 pm
Ralph…..Agreed. Start with him , work down through all the divisions such as F&A, EEOC, Public Trans, Bureau of Highways, etc. There is still plenty of fumigation to be done. Sure would help the moral.

Comment by IDOTpro Friday, May 1, 09 @ 5:09 pm
The house cleaning statement was not to be taken very serious within the Department of Corrections. In 2003-2004 all of the wardens and A/W who were identified as Republicans were terminated and replaced with dems from the street who did not attend the training academy etc etc. State police think that they have it bad, try explaining a critical situation to a Deputy Director who was a former Riley’s spice salesman. Party chairmen still rule this world, untouched with both orr’s in the water.

Comment by Clean 'er up Friday, May 1, 09 @ 6:54 pm