AP: Ill. Gov. Hired by Name Well Into '04

[Eugene]

AP: Ill. Gov. Hired by Name Well Into '04

By JOHN O'CONNOR

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Jul 23, 2006 (AP)— Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office was approving
candidates by name for state jobs as late as fall 2004, nearly 18 months after
aides said a "blind" hiring system was created, documents show.

Well into Blagojevich's second year in office, his chief of staff and personnel
director continued to sign off on names of candidates for such jobs as secretary,
auto mechanic and film office intern, nearly 300 employment forms obtained by The
Associated Press reveal.

Blagojevich's hiring practices are the subject of an investigation by U.S. Attorney
Patrick Fitzgerald, who says he has found witnesses to "very serious allegations
of endemic hiring fraud."

Blagojevich, a first-term Democrat, has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2226628

[Monkeyman]

1. And Judy Barr is being look at too

[Biernuts]

2. A guy wins and then appoints supporters , so what!? n/t

[Eugene]

3. Blago should put this fire out.

If Blago interfered in protected civil service hiring, as he denies,
there is a problem. If he was dishonest about it, as the article suggests,
there is a much bigger problem, which the Repubs will try to exploit.

Saying "so what" when we're pointing out Ernie Fletcher's misconduct
in Kentucky is hypocritical. Sauce for the goose...

[laylah]

5. Blago is a liar and a fraud!

I know of what I speak.

One example: The Inspector General's Office he created for "civilians" to report unethical conduct, which he said would NOT be tolerated, was a sham! I sent them NUMEROUS examples of unethical conduct by the DOC, as well as the Attorney General's office. The response I received was "This office does not cover these complaints." What a joke! Furthermore, when his office was made uequivocably aware of the shenanigans by the DOC and other members of his administration, I got a threatening telephone call AT MY HOME by a representative of Lt. Gov. Quinn's staff! They are reprehensible, lying, fraudulent, freaks from Hell, IMVHO!:mad:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. the problem is how and to what extent. we are talking jail time here.

40K to buy and office is the charge, repeated not only by his daddy in law, but many others.
What makes it worse, he moved the (firing) line from political offices (a proper place to replace with your own people) to the actual pro/experienced-level workers. He took out people who worked very well regardless of the party - GOP or DEMs, and replaced them with political hacks. WE have seen a major decline in efficiency and a huge profit grabbing level of corruption.
His administration has been a nightmare for people who like clean government. Suffice it to say, i will not be donating money to his presidential campaign.
The only ONLY good thing we can say about him is that he is not Judy Barr. Her past is as bad or worse.

Bloggo will be indicted and convicted. Good riddance when that happens. He has been a cancer on true democrats here in Illinois. Then again, with cook County crap, Chicago indictments, and more, he keeps good company and will probably play cards with many friends in prison.
Frankly, in Illinois BOTH parties are almost as corrupt as the Bush Administration. I do not say that lightly.

[krkaufman]

6. This was my fear.

That following the ouster of the corrupt Ryan admin, we'd replace it with an equally corrupt Dem admin. I was hoping we'd have a model gov't that could be help-up as a shining example.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. the last honest govt. was R, under Edgar.

He may not have taken a drink, or danced, or whatever, he may have been conservative, but he was honest and worked well with both sides, once they realized that he was uncorruptable.

[The Magistrate]

8. That Is A Pleasant Laugh, Sir

Edgar was at best the suit over the corruption of his party. He harvested the fruits of Ryan's efforts, and knew damned well he was doing so. Yo call him "incorruptable" is a joke and a half.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. Ryan came AFTER Edgar.

Of course, there was no fitz in those days, and something hidden might have happened, but still, Edgar was far, far cleaner than people before and after him.

[The Magistrate]

10. He Was The Front For Him, Sir

Ryan was the financial power, from the Secretary of State's office. Most of what he was charged with originated in that office, before he became Governor, and the most recent elements of his indictments were but the culmination of decades of corruption. There was nothing, and no one, clean in the Illinois state Republican Party.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. hard to argue that. Check out Lee Daniels and fiends.

Unfortunately, the local dems are little better.