Posted on 06/30/2006 8:51:25 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The hiring practices of the Illinois governor's office are the focus of a federal investigation into possible misconduct at several state agencies, a federal prosecutor said in a letter made public Friday.
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said in the letter he is looking into "very serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" by Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration. The allegations include violations of restrictions against using politics to award jobs.
Investigators have "developed a number of credible witnesses," the letter states.
The Democratic governor, who was elected on a promise to clean up government, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. Blagojevich says his administration's hiring practices are ethical and lawful.
In the letter, Fitzgerald asks Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to halt her investigations into the Blagojevich administration because they might interfere with the federal probe.
Madigan released the letter to the public with Fitzgerald's approval, said Madigan spokeswoman Melissa Merz, and Madigan has agreed to drop her investigations. Merz would not comment further.
This is the first time Fitzgerald has said he is investigating the administration, although Blagojevich has acknowledged his agencies and some of his high-ranking aides were being scrutinized.
Blagojevich's spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff issued a statement saying that the governor's anti-corruption efforts uncovered misconduct by "some bad apples," and the findings were turned over to Fitzgerald. "We will continue pursuing those who would break the rules," she said.
Fitzgerald's letter says his office began investigating Blagojevich about a year ago and "has now implicated multiple state agencies and departments."
He said the investigation involves allegations of rigging hiring practices and falsifying documents to allow for political hiring in violation of the federal "Rutan" ruling, a U.S. Supreme Court decision restricting political hiring and firing in government.
Blagojevich was elected four years ago largely because he promised to turn government around after the scandal that ended with former governor George Ryan being convicted — by Fitzgerald — on a variety of corruption charges.
But critics have accused Blagojevich of running a "pay-to-play" administration, where only people with money get access to lucrative government contracts and state jobs.
The Associated Press and the Chicago Sun-Times obtained a list in May of nearly 300 names of people targeted for state jobs and the clout-heavy sponsors who recommended them.
In early June, the AP reported on a list of 1,800 hires, promotions and transfers that top Blagojevich aides personally approved early in 2003 even though hundreds of the jobs were protected by civil service rules that prohibit political consideration. In 1,200 cases, names were attached to the jobs, despite administration claims that its hiring process is "blind" and that officials don't know applicants' names when deciding whether to fill a position.
Also on Friday, 18 former Illinois Department of Transportation workers filed lawsuits alleging that Blagojevich and top IDOT aides fired them illegally in 2004 and replaced them with Blagojevich supporters.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich talks about the state's new All Kids health insurance program during a press event Thursday, June 29, 2006, in U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald confirmed Friday, June 30, 2006, that Blagojevich's administration is the focus of an ongoing federal investigation that has 'implicated multiple state agencies' in allegations of corrupt hiring. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Worst.
Name.
Ever.
Hey Blago, you got some splainin' to do!
I don't think there IS a politician of state wide office in Illinois that isn't as corrupt as EVERY politician in Chicago!
This is not the Fitzmas Democrats wanted.
Captioning photo : "Law abiding citizens ! Just turn all of your guns in here to this stadium where we can properly dispose (crush with bulldozer) of them . If not we will come and get them like it or not . It's for the Children. "
Leni
bump
Worst.
Name.
Ever.
We don't call him BLOJO for nothing.....
Yoo hoo, Fitzgerald haters, you've been awfully QUIET lately
Look at this article! That bastard Patrick Fitzgerald is at it again! Where are you guys when we need you? I'm sure you experts (the ones who never heard of him before the Scooter Libby case) would love to tell us about how he's a eeeeeeeeeevil partisan left-wing madman out with a vendetta and secretly plotting to be Hillary's V.P. Be sure to tell us all about what a "kangaroo court" he's running with this probe (which incidentially, would make you very popular on DU where they're extremely POed at Fitzgerald)
Partisan, partisan, partisan! Oh wait... Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago(D), Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois (D), and Illinois A.G. Lisa Madigan (D), don't have R's next to their name.
Oopsy. Never mind.
P.S. Please return that book borrowed from James Carville & Paul Begala entitled "How to smear professional prosecutors who happen to go after someone in your party 101". You guys overused their talking points about "overzealous federal prosector" "partisan wing nut", an "out of control hack" and "out to destroy the president" too many times.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.