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* Tribune…
Weeks after former state Department of Children and Family Services Director George Sheldon resigned and took a job with a Florida nonprofit, new details are emerging about insider contract deals and allegations of Sheldon and his top aide’s mismanagement during his tenure at the scandal-tainted agency.
The state paid $262,000 to a longtime Sheldon confidant with whom Sheldon owns Florida property, after an initial $30,000 subcontract was extended two years, with Sheldon’s approval.
Sheldon’s top Cook County administrator resigned last month following a confidential state watchdog report that alleged she failed to account for thousands of dollars in holiday gift cards donated to teenage state wards.
And recent confidential state ethics reports allege breaches of procurement and hiring rules as Sheldon tapped a circle of Florida friends, former aides and lobbyists to help run the child welfare agency.
A series of confidential state watchdog findings were given to Gov. Bruce Rauner in the weeks before Sheldon resigned on June 15. While he admitted some lapses of judgment, Sheldon said the reports had no bearing on his decision to leave DCFS.
Go read the whole thing. Oof.
* Chris Kennedy responded this afternoon…
Governor Rauner’s leadership of DCFS is completely consistent with his Libertarian philosophy.
He does not believe that government should play a role in helping families. When he could not outsource government, when he could not eliminate it, he wounded it. He first wounded it by piling up unpaid bills then by putting in place incompetent staff whose floundering is destroying people’s confidence in government.
Rauner’s efforts to retain former agency director George Sheldon after state watchdogs showed he was either incompetent or corrupt is proof of his ongoing efforts to sabotage government.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:15 pm
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as if we needed proof?
Comment by wondering Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:20 pm
Been waiting for some of this to pop …
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:26 pm
What is it with Team Rauner and gift cards? They paid their street money in gift cards on the campaign, now DCFS is raising money in the form of gift cards. It’s so easy for gift cards to slip through the cracks of accountability, then the officials in charge wonder why they get questions when half of the gift cards mysteriously vanish.
It’s almost like someone is trying to hide something.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:33 pm
The Chicago Tribune got most of the story. People at high levels were playing fast and loose. I’ve heard some more sordid details involving the Florida bunch … but most of those would be hard to confirm (would love to read the reporter’s actual notes about what they didn’t put in the story). The DUI was another detail I had previously heard about.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:35 pm
Can’t wait For Pritzer’s comments. Nice framing by Kennedy ,too
Comment by Roadiepig Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:36 pm
47th - I know that we have used gift cards as a reward system in specialty courts - most often drug court - as a rewards system for certain milestones in the program. Wonder if DCFS was using them in a similar way?
Tracking has always been stressed over and over as important. Gift cards are much, much too easy to lose track of. I always hate the idea of what are essentially cash instruments floating around.
Comment by Stormfield Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:40 pm
Wonder how they got hold of “confidential state ethics reports?”
Who has/had access to those?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:43 pm
Well, one benefit of the tax increase (aside from making the state function marginally better) is we’ll be able to claw back some of that 8k/week paid to Sheldon’s rental buddy.
Man, the commercials in the general are going to be something.
Comment by Logan's Run Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:46 pm
Thanks Kennedy for defining Superstar (all caps) in the Rauner Administration. In the words of Bruce, we owe these people a debt of gratitude.
Comment by Winnin' Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:53 pm
At least Sheldon drives a Tesla…
Comment by Union Man Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 3:57 pm
Kennedy’s learning. At last. More, please.
Comment by Northsider Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:01 pm
Libertarian? I don’t think that means what you think that means Chris.
Government money made Rauner a billionaire and his DCFS shill was following suit by propping up friends with more Government money. Doesn’t get less Libertarian with that.
Comment by Generation X Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:11 pm
===One of the Five Points consultants helped Illinois collect millions of dollars in previously untapped federal reimbursements, records show.===
Nope. They got credit but it wasn’t their idea.
Comment by MMW Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:17 pm
Didn’t another DCFS director get in trouble for the same thing just a few years ago? It’s like when Blago didn’t learn anything from the George Ryan debacle.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:26 pm
Mr. Kennedy, its not the staff that is incompetent. It was the Rauner’s top administrator of DCFS.
Comment by Mama Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:32 pm
== It was the Rauner’s top administrator of DCFS. ==
And the top people (dare I say superstars) brought in by him.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:41 pm
This is why Rauner wants to gut the outsourcing restrictions in the AFSCME contract: enriching his buddies at the public trough, even if it harms vulnerable children.
Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:44 pm
Not to downplay the corruption of this specific DCFS head, but Erwin McEwen did similar things under Pat Quinn and fled the state just like Mr. Sheldon. Sadly it’s an old story in Illinois; present officeholder excoriates previous officeholder for incompetence and corruption - probably commits just as many incidents of incompetence and corruption.
Comment by The_Equalizer Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 4:51 pm
“Governor Rauner’s leadership of DCFS is completely consistent with his Libertarian philosophy.”
5 Things the Libertarian Party stands for
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/281399-5-things-the-libertarian-party-stands-for
Comment by Mama Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 5:22 pm
Thanks RNUG. Your clear thinking helps greatly.
Let me add that one way to improve State finances is to change the mix of residents. We need to encourage those who pay more in taxes than they consume in services
. Logically we should discourage those who are net consumers, though this will be decried as unfair.
About ten years ago the City of Chicago realized families were moving to Milwaukee because benefits were more generous there. This was not planned, but did help the budget.
Retirees get a break on income taxes but pay in sales taxes and property taxes. The wealthy retirees have their unearned income taxed at normal rates. It would take some good analysis to sort out what effect taxing currently exempt income would have on total tax revenue.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 5:38 pm
== It would take some good analysis to sort out what effect taxing currently exempt income would have on total tax revenue. ==
IDOR has run a number of analysis on taxing currently exempt retirement income using various assumptions on an different exemption levels from basically $0 (current standard deductions everyone gets) to excluding a default amount equal to average Social security (say about $15k) to average state retiree (about $32k) to as much as $50k. That’s why I usually refer to a range for taxing retirement income.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 6:03 pm
BTW … I think we accidentally jumped threads.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 6:04 pm
I just realized that we jumped.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 6:12 pm
This one is solidly on Rauner. The story references that Sheldon did a work around the Purchasing Act claiming it was not subject to those rules because it was exempt because it was litigation. In order for Sheldon to use that exemption it must be signed off on by the Governor’s General Counsel. So one of Rauner’s top superstars affirmatively approved Sheldon’s actions.
Comment by Thinking Thursday, Jul 20, 17 @ 7:44 pm
The initial request met the requirements for the exemption. Director Sheldon was advised to keep their work within the scope of the exemption.
Staff did not know of the other business arrangements. That was not disclosed.
My belief is that Director Sheldon has no real understanding of ethical behavior.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 8:23 am
Nick Name nailed it. This is THE issue Afscme has with the new contract. And every taxpayer will be on the hook for more of the same.
Comment by Da big bad wolf Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 8:32 am
“[Denise Kane]is nothing but a vindictive mean woman who creates nothing more than fear. Its just part of a witch hunt she has been on since everybody from Florida came here” Jacquetta Colyer
As a taxpayer, I would like to thank those “vindictive mean” public servants who are looking out for us.Thank you Denise Kane.
Comment by Da big bad wolf Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 8:38 am
Saugatuck is famous for being a gay resort town. Not that I care, but why was Sheldon and his young chauffeur going there on our dime?
Comment by Da big bad wolf Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 8:42 am
===As a taxpayer…===
We’re all taxpayers.
Get over yourself
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 8:53 am
Last Bull Moose-
How do you know staff didn’t know about the business relationships? Respectfully, they should be asking enough questions on the up front when an exemption is requested to make sure not abused and they should outline the extent/parameters on what DCFS can do under the exemption.
Comment by Thinking Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 9:02 am
The parameters were set out. Sheldon ignored them.
The vendors are all asked a fairly comprehensive set of questions. These questions surface most conflicts.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 9:39 am
Last Bull Moose: from your response I take it you must work in Governor’s Office to have that specific knowledge. Again, respect is meant, but this isn’t about asking the vendor questions about conflicts, it’s asking DCFS/Sheldon when they want to use this exemption. Agency directors owe candor to the governor they serve. I haven’t meant to absolve Sheldon of anything by my posts, just saying Gov’s Office fell down on this as much as him.
Comment by Thinking Friday, Jul 21, 17 @ 10:04 am