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Looks like new ICC Chairman-designate Charles Box is safe for now.
Last September, Blagojevich hinted that he would fire any commissioner who approved the auctions. In letters to them, he wrote that he would consider any such approval “either a serious neglect of duty or gross incompetence by the ICC.”
Marty Cohen, Blagojevich’s new consumer aide, said the governor is disappointed with Box.
“He believes that the Commerce Commission is going beyond its authority by ordering the auction,” Cohen said.
But he said the governor’s comment about neglect and incompetence “was not explicitly made as a threat. We just don’t feel it would be productive to remove commissioners.”
That’s quite a turnaround, if you ask me.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 27, 06 @ 4:09 pm
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If Blago is dissappointed with Box, he should have talked to the citizens of Rockford before he hired him. Although he does have a history of hiring losers (politically speaking) from Rockford, just look at his current chief of IEPA.
Comment by Operator Friday, Jan 27, 06 @ 4:59 pm
If Blago is dissappointed with Box, he should have talked to the citizens of Rockford before he hired him. Although he does have a history of hiring losers (politically speaking) from Rockford, just look at his current chief of IEPA.
Not getting rid of him isn’t surprising either. It doesn’t follow the administrations unofficial o=motto: “it is better to speak a half truth, than to be wrong.”
Comment by Operator Friday, Jan 27, 06 @ 5:02 pm
Once again, blogo says one thing and does another. Should anybody be surprised. Also how could he fire the guy he just hired?
Comment by "B Team" Friday, Jan 27, 06 @ 5:18 pm
What’s worse, a backpedal or a flip-flop? He seems to be fond of both.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 27, 06 @ 8:54 pm
Let’s see, Blagojevich wrote in his non-explicit threat letter to the ICC commissioners that he would consider approval of the auction plan “either a serious neglect of duty or gross incompetence.”
Hmmm, that is a curious choice of words for our Governor who usually uses more colloquial phrases such as “rock the system”, “testicular virility” and “drunken sailors”.
I wonder where he came up with such a specific phrase? Maybe our C student in constitutional law Governor was inspired by Article V, Section 10 of the Illinois Constitution (available in the Pepperdine law library) which lays out the grounds for which the Governor may remove his appointees and uses the phrase ” … may remove for incompetence, neglect of duty, …”
Phew, throwing in the words “gross” and “serious” turned it from an explicit threat to an implied threat.
You don’t lose nearly as much face backing off a poorly veiled implicit threat versus a blunt explicit threat. Way to manage expectations.
Comment by Navin Johnson Friday, Jan 27, 06 @ 9:45 pm
Operator has a point about merely looking at Box’s history. However, it is consistent with the Gov’ history of appointing political hires within the bureacracy that have no business being there. Relevant experience means absolutely nothing in getting an appointment from what I’ve seen in day-to-day dealings with several state agencies.
Comment by Aaron Sunday, Jan 29, 06 @ 11:34 pm
Another thought, I’m not as well-versed as I should be on the power auction, but it certainly seems that a lot of people believe the bridge is out up ahead, but everyone’s just standing around waiting for somebody else to pull the brakes.
Comment by Aaron Sunday, Jan 29, 06 @ 11:39 pm
“Nobody wants a Charlie-in-the-box”
http://us.st11.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/timespacetoys_1877_19096392
Comment by John Lee Pettimore Monday, Jan 30, 06 @ 8:47 am