CHICAGO (AP) -- A federal judge has ordered a court-appointed monitor to investigate hiring at Gov. Pat Quinn's Department of Transportation.

Magistrate Judge Sidney Schenkier told attorneys Wednesday that the monitor would help compliance of a decades-old political hiring ban.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by an anti-patronage attorney in April alleging improper hiring practices.

Attorneys for Quinn's administration had said a separate monitor wasn't necessary and a state inspector general had completed a detailed probe and changes were made.

Schenkier says the monitor wouldn't negate inspector general's work but would ensure a fair process. Anti-patronage attorney Michael Shakman had also wanted a separate process digging into hiring at IDOT, which the judge said was unnecessary.

The ruling comes at an inopportune time for Quinn who faces re-election Nov. 4.

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