What's that smell?

Something smells pretty rotten in local politics.

It appears that the altruistic motives of state Sen. Rick Winkel in retiring at the end of his term are something less than altruistic.

In his political career, I can think of only one or two issues where I've agreed with Winkel. But at the same time, I considered him a fairly straightforward and moderately honest politician. As honest as anyone in Illinois and the Illinois GOP could be. Someone who attempted most of the time to rise above the sleeze.

Guess I was wrong.

It appears that, at the recommendation of Rep. Tim Johnson, Winkel is being pushed for the open post of U.S. Attorney for central Illinois. At least that's what Wednesday's News-Gazette says.

On the surface, that doesn't sound like such a sleazy thing. Until you consider:

In immediately taking the post, Winkel will have to resign his state Senate seat early. A seat that's being hotly contested by both parties. Winkel's early resignation opens the seat up for a pre-election appointment.

Quoting the New-Gazette's onpaper edition:

If Winkel were to become the U.S. Attorney, it is unclear who would complete his term in the Senate, which has more than a year to run. But [Judy] Myers, who announced last week that she hoped to get back into the Senate, would appear to have the inside track. The vacancy would be filled by the two Republican county chairmen, Steve Hartman in Champaign County and state Rep. Bill Black in Vermilion County.

Well, isn't that conveeeeeeenient?

Wee Willie Winkel gets a political plum post for which he's only marginally qualified, Myers becomes an incumbent, giving her shaky campaign a boost and the rest of us lose -- on both counts.

A little sleazy, slimy and underhanded.

Add to that one other little fact included near the bottom of the NG story: Winkel admits that as a civil, not a criminal attorney, he's not really qualified to become a U.S. Attorney.

Winkel acknowledged that he had no experience as a prosecutor. "My background is primarily civil litigation, mostly in the state courts but with some experience in the federal system."

So what, exactly is civil attorney Winkel's qualifications to fill a criminal attorney position? Oh, plenty:

"But I have served on the Judiciary committee in the Legiuslature. And in my (application) letter I wrote that I believe I have an extensive background."

Well, that certainly eases my troubled mind. After all, it's been proven that a civil attorney can easily fill a criminal prosecutor's post. Remember John Piland?

Oops, bad example.

All in all this little scenario is just a little too convenient, a little too planned, a little too orchestrated to be coincidence.

It's just plain sleazy.

But what do we expect from the state GOP? Remember GOP poster child George Ryan? Whatever happened to HIM?

And so it goes.

ADDENDUM: I discovered shortly after posting this that practically every blogger in North America already had weighed in on this issue. Sorry for the redundant redundancy. What can I say, I got the paper late.

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