The Galesburg Register-Mail reports this morning on accusations of nepotism in Secretary of State Jesse White’s office by Republican challenger Dan Rutherford. He makes a good point:
Rutherford gave a number of examples, most notably that of White’s daughter, who was hired by Republican George Ryan when Ryan was secretary of state. Rutherford says she was hired at an annual salary of $39,000 and her salary was tripled when her father took office, bringing her pay to $112,000 a year.
Wow! I’ll be he got a really nice Father’s Day present that year. Rutherford also pointed out that, “according to published reports, four of White’s high-level staff have relatives now working for White.” It’s like they always say, it ain’t what you know….
Chicago politicians know no other way. I lived there for a few years and it’s thoroughly ingrained into their political DNA. Daley, Blago, Stroger, Ryan (acted like a Chicago machine politician) all believe that taxpayer dollars are a mechanism through which friends are rewarded and opponents punished.
I work for a unit of goverment for over 29+ years and they practice nepotism openly. No if ands or butts. It all starts with smal local goverments and works up. I was informed it is not illegal to have “nepotism” in illinois, guess it is good goverment.
True, it’s definitely not a Chicago-only problem, but it’s particularly acute there. After this fall’s elections Illinois has a strong chance of all statewide offices being held by Chicago machine Democrats. I think turning over all power to a single party, all from Chicago, is a bad idea, particularly for those who don’t live in Chicago.
It is a natural tendency for people to help their friends and relatives as well as to help those who have helped them; unfortunately, this truism is overdone in politics, therefore we have the Jesse Whites, Daleys, Ryans, Thompsons,and practically every politician state-wide and nationwide. It will never change, so soak it up folks!