Chuck Sweeny: Blagojevich’s damage to state government is deep and wide

Illinoisans are rehashing the juicy arrest story of Rod “I Want to Make Money” Blagojevich all day long, because we all get a certain pleasure out of watching His Arrogance tumble and fall. Customers at DiTullio’s, a deli I stopped at for lunch Wednesday, were hooting and hollering over what one called an early Christmas present: the Blago bust.

But celebrating the patriotic service of U.S. Attorney Patrick “Country First” Fitzgerald won’t solve all of Illinois’ severe problems, many created by the governor. Aside from the fact he put the state up for sale, he rendered entire agencies dysfunctional, ruining the morale of good people who work there and replacing layers of respected professionals with two-bit political hacks who know a lot about getting lunch and not much else.

Blagojevich has dismembered the Department of Natural Resources to the point that it’s a shadow of its former shelf. Whether it’s mental health, education, transportation, or the reimbursement of contractors and nonprofits who provide services to the state, the wicked pay-to-play system to lay up earthly treasures for Blagojevich has gutted the integrity of all Illinois public institutions.

He has stripped special-use funds from department after department and used the money to prop up his hollow health-care schemes whose main purpose seems to be putting the words “Governor Blagojevich” on the pamphlets advertising them. He used the state checkbook to reward districts with friendly legislators and punish districts where lawmakers criticized him.

No, Illinois has never been considered one of the “squeaky-clean” states like Minnesota, Iowa and, to a lesser extent, Wisconsin. But until the reign of terror that began in 2003, government services were delivered routinely. Things worked, even under the corrupt George Ryan, who now seems like a choirboy compared to Blago. (Yes, I know he’s presumed innocent, but he said what he said, and it’s on tape.)

Now, delivery of state services apparently depends on who gives how much cash to Public Official A-Rod. So, what do we do about it? We can’t force Blago to resign, but we could offer him a buyout. He seems to understand “show me the money.”

That was a joke, but here’s a serious idea. The Four Tops — House Speaker Mike Madigan, incoming Senate President John Cullerton, House Minority Leader Tom Cross and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno — should name a committee to assess the damage done throughout state government by Blagojevich and his doofus cronies.

For co-chairs, I propose two state Supreme Court justices, one Republican, one Democrat. Let them pick the members of the panel, to include people with state government experience — no one tied to Blagojevich need apply — and senior academics from the state’s public and private universities. The Legislature should give the panel sufficient staff to do a thorough review of agencies to discover what damage Blago did, and write recommendations for corrective measures.

One criterion to insist upon: In future, state agencies must be run by professionals. That means directors with appropriate degrees and expertise in their field. No more political hacks! The proposed panel would complete its work in time for the General Assembly to make agency changes late in the spring session.

P.S.: Can someone please take down the “Governor Rod. R. Blagojevich” signs on the open-road tolling stations? They’re kind of embarrassing.

Reach Chuck Sweeny at 815-987-1366 orcsweeny@rrstar.com.