The former campaign manager for defeated Governor Pat Quinn has been given a two-year contract to run the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority just five weeks before the Democratic governor leaves his job.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that 30-year-old Lou Bertuca was hired Monday by the agency's board on a four to three vote. He replaces Kelly Kraft, whose contract expired last month.
Kraft was a former Quinn budget official whom Quinn installed in the job over the objections of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Republican Bruce Rauner, who defeated Quinn last month, says he hopes to reverse the hiring. The governor-elect was asked Monday about the prospects of "getting stuck" with a Quinn appointee. His response prompted laughs from people nearby.
"There's Illinois isn't it? Right there."
Rauner had previously called on Quinn to halt all appointments for the remainder of his term.
The sports facilities agency constructed and manages U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, and floated $399 million in bonds to renovate Soldier Field.
