Rauner Pounces On IDOT Patronage Hiring Allegations To Attack Quinn
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Questions about alleged patronage hiring violations at the Illinois Department of Transportation have become a flashpoint in the race for governor.
WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports attorney Michael Shakman, a longtime crusader against political hiring, has asked for a court monitor to investigate hiring practices at IDOT, based on a Better Government Association report of people being hired for political reasons for jobs where that's prohibited by so-called "Rutan" rules.
Bruce Rauner, the Republican venture capitalist challenging Gov. Pat Quinn in the November election, scoffed at the Democratic incumbent's reputation for transparency, since the Quinn administration has refused to turn over IDOT hiring documents.
"I think the voters deserve to know what's going on inside the Department of Transportation under Pat Quinn, and the only reason he would have to block those documents from being released is trying to hide the truth from the voters," Rauner said.
However, the governor's office has said he doesn't tolerate violations of hiring rules, and IDOT is taking appropriate action.
Rauner said voters can't trust Quinn.
"When you look at the folks he's put in charge of different departments, whether it's Natural Resources, whether it's the Agriculture Department, whether it's another department, he's put in cronies and political campaign workers," he said.
A Quinn campaign spokeswoman said the governor has a long history of cleaning up government, while Rauner has failed to come clean about his past relationships, such as with convicted influence peddler Stuart Levine.