“This is a ‘do as I say not as I do’ approach by this Governor,” said Rutherford. “The Governor has hired 29 new staffers in his own office, including a new speechwriter. With all due respect to the Governor’s continuing desire to promote his own image, how does he justify a new $60,000-a-year speechwriter in these economic times?

“Threatening layoffs and facility closures to balance the budget while at the same time hiring speechwriters and personal staff is really ill-timed,” Rutherford said.

The Governor called for a hiring freeze on all but critical positions when he first took office. “While 53 percent of his new hires have been prison guards, state troopers, welfare caseworkers and other direct service positions which I support, many other new Blagojevich-connected hires were placed in jobs that most would find expendable in a budget crunch,” said Rutherford.