Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Only in Illinois: State pays company to clean the inside of salt domes

Marathon Pundit received a press release yesterday from the Joe Birkett people. Joe, currently the DuPage County State's Attorney, is a possible Republican candidate for governor.

From that release:

The Associated Press reported this week that (Illinois Governor) Blagojevich's pay-to-play political machine has struck again--this time at Illinois Department of Transportation salt-storage domes.

"Once again, Rod Blagojevich is rubbing salt in the wounds of taxpayers," Birkett said Tuesday. "What's next, a contact for sandblasting Oak Street Beach?"

An expert quoted in the story said he had no idea why anyone would clean the inside of a salt dome.

The company that received the contract is PWS Environmental Inc, a firm that has donated $25,000 to Rod Blagojevich, in turn, PWS has received a total of $522,000 in state business.

The salt domes can be found throughout Illinois, from Arlington Heights in the north, to Fort Massac at the southern tip of the Prairie State.

Birkett's is offering contributors to his campaign fund honorary sponsorships of these salt domes. Click here if you'd like to be one of an honorary sponsor of a Blagojevich "pay-to-play" salt dome.

And today, AP reports that PWS Environmental Inc., the salt dome cleaning firm, is owned by William Mologousis, brother-in-law of Illinois Department of Transportation finance and administration director Robert Millette.

Only in Illinois.

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