Illinois Child Welfare Fraud, Blagojevich Style

I truly enjoy news stories that showcase child welfare fraud, but I have to step in and question why former Governor Blogojevich's activities seem to be so shocking?

Everyday, across this nation, some elected or appointed official is putting their hand in the proverbial child welfare cookie jar and then, turning around using taxpayer money to fund legal defenses.

I would not even be surprised to see Illinois child placing agencies getting lucrative foster care for expediting more termination of parental rights cases and keeping children in care longer as it brings in more federal dollars for the state.

I would not even bat an eyelid at the probability that universities are getting grants because...

Illinois has led the nation in the implementation of performance-based contracting and quality assurance (PBC/QA) initiatives for foster care case management. This initiative extends PBC/QA to residential, independent living and transitional living programs (ILO/TLP) currently serving approximately 2,500 children and youth in the child welfare system, many of whom have increasingly severe and complex service needs

Unfortunately, Blagojevich was only doing what many others do in child welfare.

Blagojevich's records reveal information that could mean more trouble

Kyle Kiel Staff Writer

ILLINOIS - A new report could land former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich in even more hot water than he is in now.

An audit of Blagojevich's records, while he was still governing, reveals he spent millions of dollars to hire outside lawyers, often without even seeking bids for the best price.

Records also show he charged legal costs to other state agencies, including the Department of Children and Family Services.

Out of the 7.2 million dollars in legal costs, the governor's office only paid 22 thousand of the overall cost.