Sass Puts Political Toadies on State Payroll

Well, Wisconsin, hire an unqualified political hack and this is what you get. 

When the longtime director of the state’s $2 billion college savings program retired last year, the list of potential replacements included an asset manager, a tax lawyer and an estate planner — even the program’s veteran deputy director.

Instead, the job went to Megan Perkins, 32, a key political aide to Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass, a Democrat.

Perkins had previously served as projects coordinator for First Lady Jessica Doyle and as a Wisconsin field organizer for John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004.

[...]

In March 2007, two part-time employees in the unclaimed property division lost their jobs after Sass created a full-time job to help her in building the profile of that division.

One, Rick Berg said in an interview he lost his part-time job and wasn’t hired for the new full-time job, for which he was interviewed, because he holds conservative political views and has worked several jobs under Republican governors.

“It was clear the decision had nothing to do with performance and everything to do with politics,” Berg said.

Lease said the job needed a person who could update the unclaimed property program and raise its profile among the public.

The woman who was named to the full-time job, Stephanie Wilson, 23, had previously worked for Doyle’s constituent services arm. Wilson has since replaced Perkins as Sass’s political aide.

1. And Jack Voight surrounded himself with a bunch of Republicans whose qualifications, in the eyes of Democrats, were perhaps equally questionable.

   Perhaps what is most important is that those agencies and organizations that work with Perkins seem to view her work favorably.  Even Alberta Darling wouldn’t take a cheap shot when the door was opened for her.  Funny how that part of the article wasn’t worth quoting.

   Absolutely no news here whatsoever.  Politicians hire people recommended by political allies?  No way.

   Now, whether Sass was qualified to do *her* job when she was elected is another story.

   Posted by Recess Supervisor on May 05, 2008 at 2259 hrs




2. Nevermind that the story seemed to miss the pages of B&S;when it turned up that AG Goodhair was doing the same thing, let’s just look for a moment at the word, “Toadie.”

   What, exactly, does that mean, Owen?  Is Fraley a toadie for having worked on so many campaigns?  Mark Graul, fetcher of basketball tickets, a toadie, too?

   Where is the limit between toadie and “trusted political advisor?  I thought you were pledging the high road, Owen.  What happened there?

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 0603 hrs




3. Mr. Pot—meet Mr. Kettle! 

   What part of this doesn’t Rick Berg understand?  At his age it’s time he got a real job.  He was a “political” appointee who was replaced by a “political” appointee of the incumbent’s persuasion.  That’s how he got his job, and that’s why he lost his job.

   Quit your whining, Rick, and get a real job.  You can’t suck off the political teat until it’s time to start drawing your WRS pension!

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 0758 hrs




4. For this or any other position, my question is “Did the appointment fulfill the fiduciary duties of the trustee’s, in the case the government, to the benificiaries (the pension holders)?” Were this a private trust with private beneficiaries you can bet that the trustee’s would be open to litigation that there was a breech of the basic fiduciary duty to ensure that the trust assets are properly protected.  Politician’s of all political stripes are forgetting their basic duty to citizens and taxpayers!

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 0759 hrs




5. The real question and story should be: Do we really need a ‘Secretary of State’?

   Whether it was Voight or now Sass, it seems to be a bit of an antiquated position that perhaps some mid-level manager at the Department of Revenue could fill.  SOS ranks right up there with the state Poet Laureate, in my opinion.

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 0902 hrs




6. Why is anyone surprised?

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 0945 hrs




7. No comment from our Washington correspondent?

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 1045 hrs




8. "The real question and story should be: Do we really need a ‘Secretary of State’?”

   As usual PP has no Clue what he’s talking about.

   Dawn Sass is The State Treasurer.

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 1622 hrs




9. Where does she think she’s working? In the Bush administration?

   Posted by on May 06, 2008 at 2122 hrs




10. Posted by pjr on May 06, 2008 at 1045 hrs

    If you want to take your cheap shot, take it. If not, keep your trap shut.

    Posted by Sean Hackbarth on May 06, 2008 at 2329 hrs




11. Feeling a little defensive Sean?

    I wasn’t even referring to you, but if you would like to step up to the plate,

    Batter’s up!

    Make the argument that this kind of patronage doesn’t happen on both sides of the aisle.

    Posted by on May 07, 2008 at 0013 hrs




12. Only defensive about a friend.

    I read the article and said, “ho hum.” No indication of incompetence.

    Posted by Sean Hackbarth on May 07, 2008 at 0044 hrs




13. What difference does this make? Do anything of these people do anything of importance? If someone with virtually no experience in financial matters can be the state treasurer - what are they really doing?

    More wasted money that could be either staying in the taxpayer’s pockets or actually doing something else useful.

    Posted by on May 07, 2008 at 1304 hrs




14. Sorry, my bad.  I meant to say, “State Treasurer”.  We don’t either positions, in my opinion.

    Posted by on May 07, 2008 at 1349 hrs