Blagojevich is having state employees in the Department of Corrections monitor television coverage of the Governor. This is a great story and kudos to a paper that was nothing more than an AP reprint for years at turning into a serviceable local paper.
The governor’s office contends that having state workers monitor TV news helps Blagojevich determine hot issues in different regions of Illinois.
An internal Illinois Department of Corrections memo notes that a $64,000-per-year state prison psychologist at East Moline Correctional Center was appointed to review tapes of daily news broadcasts from local TV stations.
The memo specifically notes that the psychologist should look "for any newscasts concerning Governor Blagojevich."
"When there is information on a tape, complete the attached form and route the tape to the Warden’s Office by 9:15 a.m.," the May 14 memo said.
The memo was issued as Blagojevich argued with state lawmakers that the state’s prison system is bloated with bureaucracy.
I hope you turned off your irony meters before reading that. If not, well you needed a new one anyway.
The really stupid thing is this is what you have the party do. The party has money to do such things or you may be able to do it out of Lege offices. Given the Speaker has an extensive ‘case work’ staff, that staff could take the time to do the same job. Not exactly the best way to use state resources still, but certainly a lot smarter way of going about it. Or just have private party funds pay for it–it isn’t that expensive.
It really is a twofer–bad public policy meets bad politics.
Updated above–if searching search term Capitol Fax and Pantagraph.