Position: Senior counsel, Legal Department, Illinois Housing Development Authority
Salary: $75,000/year
Candidate selected: Roland W. Burris II
Date of hire: September 10, 2008
Qualifications:
- Prior resolution of 2 personal federal tax liens
- Currently liable for personal federal tax lien covering the years 2004, 2005, 2007 ($34,163 unpaid), applied in July, 2008
- Currently in foreclosure for $372,000 mortgage taken out on July 18, 2006 (filed by lender in August 2008)
- Less than $3,000 paid
- Balance due: $406,685 (including interest and penalties)
- House bought in 2000 from the City of Chicago for $1.00
According to Rebecca Boykin, “Roland Burris II was hired by the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Legal Department based on his qualifications in response to a published job posting. As an employer, it is not IHDA’s practice to request financial information from applicants.”
Why not? This job is to help counsel people about how to avoid home foreclosure. Wouldn’t you think it appropriate and – most importantly – beneficial to the citizens of Illinois to hire someone who actually knows how to pay their bills?
Makes you wonder just what kind of other talks never took place between old Daddy and Roddy, doesn’t it?