The Chicago Sun-Times' special report today details how former Gov. Rod Blagojevich doled out jobs based on clout while at the same time declaring a state hiring freeze.
On his first full day as governor in 2003, Rod Blagojevich ordered a freeze on state hiring. Only essential jobs would be filled, he said, promising to rein in a record state budget deficit and put an end to what he called "taking care of insiders first and taxpayers last."
Behind the scenes, though, Blagojevich aides flouted the supposed freeze, forging a patronage machine that -- despite their boss' public promises -- eventually would provide state jobs or promotions to nearly 2,500 people
members of Chicago's City Council and members of Congress. Lobbyists and Blagojevich's own top fund-raisers asked for and got people state jobs, too.
Neither Blagojevich nor anyone from his Office of Intergovernmental Affairs is charged with any hiring-related crimes, though U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, whose office charged Blagojevich, said in a 2006 letter that there were "very serious allegations of endemic hiring fraud" under Blagojevich.
Click on the following for more details, such as names of sponsors and recipients: Inside Rod Blagojevich's jobs machine :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Gov. Blagojevich
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