Gov says he didn't know adviser would get 38K for 2 months' work

Ronen, a Democrat, was elected to the senate from the North Side Seventh District in 2000. She resigned last year.

On March 1 this year, Blagojevich hired her as senior adviser. She resigned April 30.

The additional eight weeks of state employment hiked her pension by $38,000 annually, to $102,000 a year.

"It was my expectation, it was my hope, that she was going to work for us in a high place for the remainder of my term," Blagojevich said. "I also understand that she apparently heard the siren call of the Obama campaign. And so she made a decision to leave because she wants to work in the Obama for President campaign. So I guess you can say she left me for another guy."

The governor added that the state's pension system needs reform.