A federal judge has ruled that a court-appointed monitor investigating patronage hiring at the Illinois Department of Transportation can also review hiring at other state agencies.
Judge Sidney Schenkier ruled in favor of the IDOT case's plaintiffs, who wanted the authority of the special master expanded to include positions labeled as exempt at all state agencies, boards and commissions.
Anti-patronage activist Michael Shakman says the request stemmed from discoveries made by the special master as she investigated hiring at IDOT. Shakman says the special master identified recurring issues at IDOT and that it appeared the same concerns would repeat themselves at other state agencies.
The special master was appointed at IDOT because of a hiring scandal under former Gov. Pat Quinn in which some positions were improperly filled using political considerations rather than qualifications.
