Vindicated

My face hurts from smiling so much. Our governor was taken away this morning by Federal Marshals in handcuffs.

As many of you know, I started my career with the Illinois General Assembly. I staffed the Health and Human Services committee and did budget analysis. From there I went to the Secretary of State Executive Office and also "advised" on his run for Governor.

After the election, I went to work for the Lt. Governor as her Senior Policy Advisor for Health Care and Social Services.

At the end of her term, I took a job with the state's Medicaid office as the Federal Liaison, the one charged with convincing the feds to approve the things we wanted to do in the states' Medicaid plan.

On January 14, 2003, on Governor Blagojevich's first day in office, he held a press conference at 1 PM and announced he was terminated 35 of us (so dubbed by me in a drunken state a couple of days later as the G-Rod 35), Ryan cronies, political hacks, and other bottom feeder kind of language.

At 1 PM on that same day, I was on the phone with the feds, getting approval for an additional $15 million back to Illinois for some rare prescription drug coverage for poor dual eligible seniors (both Medicare and Medicaid eligible - the REALLY poor people). I walked out of the meeting to a phone call from a former colleague who then faxed me the press release complete with my name, current position, current salary, past position and past salary.

Many of the GRod 35 sued and won. I did not. If he did not want me, fine. I knew I was very very good at my job. I knew I was not a bottom feeder. The arrogant SOB was not going to get me down. I will get my record fixed some day. The court says I can when I get around to it.

So while I don't feel very Christian dancing around the office with glee, face in pain from the perma smile, today I feel vindicated. He is going down because he is an arrogant, greedy, full of himself SOB - and that will be proven in a court of law based on his own words.

Could not have happened to a nicer guy.