Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Chicago Tribune - May 22, 2008
David Mendell, dmendell@tribune.com and Ray Long, rlong@tribune.com
Auditor General William Holland found about one third of state panels do not have the legally required number of appointees.
They included boards overseeing elevator safety, ethanol research, lottery tickets for breast cancer research, student loans, and Downstate teacher pensions, among others. No appointments were made for nearly one of five boards and commissions out of scores the auditor general sampled between July 2005 and July 2007. Those included basic hospital services, HIV/AIDS, regional economic development and capital punishment reform.
"I think it's another example of the governor's disregard for the process of government," said David Morrison, deputy director of the non-partisan Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. "Yet again, it seems like he is just not paying attention."
A Blagojevich spokeswoman downplayed the significance of the board vacancies. "They are able to meet and function, even if they do have vacancies," spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said.
Blagojevich has long been criticized for placing the politically-connected on such boards.
For example, the vacancy at the Teachers' Retirement System has been open since July 2, 2004, when Stuart Levine stepped down. Levine has pleaded guilty to federal charges for trying to use his influence on two state boards to pocket millions of dollars in kickbacks. He has been a key witness in the federal corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top Blagojevich fundraiser.
Also, according to the audit, the governor's office did not install thumbprint scanners on computers in a timely manner. The office paid $23,100 for 140 scanners and software in July 2006, but only five of the scanners were promptly put to use, the auditor general said. The governor's office agreed with the findings and improved its internal controls to avoid future snafus.
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