Ex-Congressman’s son gets plum warden job.

IL makes it impossible to find jobs.
Vets have preference but cannot even find these jobs.
IL is hiding jobs from qualified people.

Lou Hare, 31, the son of former 17th District Congressman Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, was hired this month as an assistant warden of programs at the correctional facility with a starting salary of $51,540. He starts his new job Oct. 3.

Rep. Morthland on Thursday said he is asking for the investigation to make sure no laws or no ethics rules were violated.

“It sure looks like a former congressman’s son was juiced into a cushy job in an oversized, bloated administration for that prison at a time when the rank-and-file people are overworked and apparently have a glass ceiling they can’t penetrate unless they’re well-connected politically,” Rep. Morthland said.

Lou Hare worked at the Rock Island County Council on Addictions for 4 1/2 years but lost his job last month due to budget cutbacks. He then applied for an Illinois Department of Corrections job that he learned about from his father. Phil Hare said he had no influence on his son’s hiring.

IDOC spokeswoman Sharyn Elman said there was no job posting for the position. Ms. Elman said “word of mouth” is an apt description how people find out about such jobs.

“Many candidates send in resumes for positions across the state, including assistant warden of programs, statewide,” Ms. Elman said. “As opportunities become available, and candidates are hired, they are placed at facilities across the state.”

Ms. Elman acknowledged there are thousands of applications for IDOC jobs.

“Everybody has their own take,” she said. “He was a qualified candidate for the postiion.”

Ms. Elman also tried to clear up confusion about Lou Hare’s application. Earlier this week, Phil Hare said his son received an ‘A’ on his test.

“The application that is filled out is sometimes referred to as a test,” Ms. Elman explained. “I think that is where the confusion comes from. I think what was being referred to in the comments about ‘tests’ had to do with that application process because it is very lenghty and has been called a test.”

She said the position calls for planning, organizing and directing program functions and their managers, including health care services, chaplaincy and clinical services, records office and leisure activity, inmate programs and date gathering on current and anticipated programs and projects.

A spokeperson for Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn could not be reached for comment on the IDOC hiring policy. Rep. Morthland said he wants to determine if Phil Hare used his influence.

“We need to find out,” Rep. Morthland, a former Rock Island County Board member, said. “Was this some sort of insider deal the son of a former Congressman got? Or, was this a good hiring practice?”

Rep. Morthland said he will ask Illinois Attorney Auditor Bill Holland to conduct a formal investigation if something comes up during the investigation.

“I’ve already asked the legal staff with the Illinois House Republicans to look it over, at least on the surface,” Rep. Morthland said. “If we find out no actual policies or rules were violated, we maybe need to work legislatively to change the policy and the rules.”

Lou Hare said he triple-majored with a master’s degree in theatre from Western Illinois University. Via e-mail he said he believed his RICCA experience would benefit him in the new job at the prison.

EMCC Warden Steve Ballard, who also chairs the Rock Island County Democratic Party, referred all calls regarding Lou Hare and Rep. Morthland’s investigation to the IDOC. Rock Island County Board member Don Johnston, a Democrat from Moline, said Lou Hare shouldn’t be punished for having the same last name as his father.

“I’ve known Lou Hare since he was a baby,” Mr. Johnston said. “He’s a good kid. These appointments have been made many times in the past, right, wrong, indifferent.

“Lou’s a very bright kid. He wasn’t trained for law enforcement just as Steve Ballard wasn’t,” Mr. Johnston said. “I’m sure Steve is doing a good job. I assume Lou will do a good job, too.”

East Moline Correctional Center Administration

Warden — Steve Ballard, former UAW representative who worked for Deere and Company and head of the Rock Island County Democrats. He was hired as assistant warden of programs, then replaced Gene Jungwirth as warden.

Assistant warden — Tod Van Wolvelaere, formerly employed with Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant warden — Lou Hare, formerly with Rock Island County Council of Addictions.

Previous wardens:

2003 – 2008: Gene Jungwirth, Rock Island. Mr. Jungwirth, who died in August 2008 at age 63, was a retired captain of the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department who unsuccessfully ran for sheriff.

2003 – Ian D. Oliver. Warden at EMCC from January to June 2003, he was promoted to assistant director of the IDOC. He resigned in January 2004 after charged with a misdemeanor count of domestic battery in Moline.

1999-2002 – Gary Wyant, East Moline. Mr. Wyant, who died in April 2002 at the age of 50 of renal cancer, joined IDOC in 1980 as a correctional officer and served as lieutenant and captain of corrections at Graham Correctional Center until he was named chief of security at Robinson Correctional Center in 1990. He was promoted to assistant warden at Robinson in December 1997 and became EMCC warden in 1999.

1994-1999 – Sergio Molina. He joined the IDOC in 1985. He later became assistant deputy director for the region and an IDOC spokesman until 2010. He now is a warden at a Florida correctional facility.