[Impy]

“. Of course, it is somewhat ingenuous to make such a claim. Who, aside from us political junkies, would even think to check someone claiming they held a downballot office ? Most folks wouldn’t know he was a fraud.”

Indeed. What a riot!

[BillyBoy]

Well, according to Wikipedia the office was vacant from July '98 to Jan '99, and of course the state constitution would have prohibited Edgar from appointing a new Lt. Governor. (Though if you really wanted to get nutty and argue Finkelman's case, you could suppose Edgar got around that by naming someone "Acting Lt. Governor" without "officially" swearing them in):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lieutenant_Governors_of_Illinois

Now, there's a clear way to determine whether Finkelman's claims are valid. As long as Pat Quinn is going to waste taxpayer's money keeping the Lt. Governor's office open, call them up in Chicago or Springfield and politely request paper records (by fax or mail) of every occupant discharging the duties of the office since 1818, along with any state records of a "E. Neal Finkelman" ever serving or working in the office of Lt. Governor, especially during the period from July 2, 1998 to January 10, 1999. Specificially, if he was ever on the state payroll and what kind of "duties" he was responsible for, if any, in the Lt. Governor's office. (Tell them it's a grave matter and you need to determine whether or not Mr. Finkelman's resume is fraudulent). Let's make them earn their paychecks over at the vacant Lt. Governor's office. Illinois taxdollars at work!

OFFICE OF THE LT. GOVERNOR
JRTC, 100 W. RANDOLPH
SUITE 15−200
CHICAGO, IL 60601−3220
Phone:(312) 814−5220
Fax: (312) 814-4862

OFFICE OF THE LT. GOVERNOR
ROOM 214, STATE HOUSE
SPRINGFIELD, IL 62706−4700
Phone: (217)782-7884
Fax: (217) 524-6262