Rauner issues order requiring state hires to be posted online

SPRINGFIELD (WLS) -- Illinois governor Bruce Rauner issued an executive order Thursday requiring all of the state's political hires to be posted online.

In signing the order, he says the public has a right to know who's getting these jobs.

The governor's order ends some of the best-kept secrets in Illinois government. The names of people hired for political reasons must now be published on the internet.

"The people of the state of Illinois will now have a way to find the state's political hires very quickly, real time, all the time," Rauner said.

Later, Rauner visited several affected state agencies including the Department of Transportation which was the scene of a Quinn administration political hiring scandal last year.

Newly-elected Democratic state representative Will Guzzardi supports the new governor's anti-patronage effort, but says lawmakers are most concerned about budget-related issues.

"Until the governor has something to say about those issues he's leaving a lot unaddressed," Guzzardi said.

At his news conference, Rauner said the $20 million in the political fund he controls will be used in part to "inform voters."

"The voters need to understand my personal view of the issues and the agenda," Rauner said.

But Springfield politicians understand the super-wealthy Rauner, worth in the hundreds of millions, could use that money in campaigns for and against certain lawmakers:

"It's not like he can't do this over and over and over," said state Rep. Jack Franks, "I think this is just the tip of the iceberg."

The House is scheduled to reconvene later this month and the Senate in early February. Meanwhile, members in both chambers are keeping their personal political cards close to the vest until after the Governor speaks.