Since the governor didn’t deny yesterday that federal investigators have forced 15 state agencies to turn over hiring records, as the Tribune reported, we can safely assume that was the case.
We can also safely assume that the governor has a truly marvelous political ability to be absolutely shameless when he’s making stuff up.
“I think what you read today is an example of why we have continuously worked to fundamentally change things in state government,” Blagojevich said after a news conference promoting his All Kids health insurance program.
He said the edict to gather information shows his administration is trying to stay on top of hiring practices.
“We are always making sure that we are vigilant and constantly reminding our agency directors to follow the rules and to make sure that we stay on top of this,” Blagojevich said.
The Daily Herald noted the irony in the timing of the allegations. Yesterday’s press conference was designed to kick off All Kids.
Ironically, Blagojevich was in the same situation last October, when he first trotted out the All Kids program as a way to help middle-income parents get their children health insurance on the same day the first federal subpoenas were revealed.
And Joe Birkett, complaining about a $100 million no-bid contract to a company that employs the guv’s former chief of staff, claimed the investigation count was nine.
“Is that believable?†said Birkett about Lon Monk’s statement. “I would say that in an administration that’s already under nine separate state and federal investigations has just invited investigation No. 10.â€
When asked about Birkett’s comments, Blagojevich dismissed them by saying Birkett needed to lighten up.
He’s right about that one, of course.
Meanwhile, there was some more bad news.
A letter produced in court this week seeks to bolster a claim by top Illinois State Police officers that they lost a vacation provision because they declined to endorse Gov. Rod Blagojevich in his last election.
The non-unionized command officers filed a lawsuit in 2004 that claims unionized rank-and-file troopers kept the benefit after endorsing the governor, and the letter written June 14 by the union president reminds members of what their support meant.
“I believe that the speed in which we successfully negotiated our recent collective bargaining agreement, the most lucrative in Lodge history, can be attributed to the endorsement of the governor,” wrote L.H. “Buddy” Parker of State Troopers Lodge No. 41.
UPDATE: Currie has more. Read it.