Lawyers: E-mail proves IDOT firings were political

SPRINGFIELD -- Lawyers for former state workers who claim they were fired because of politics say an e-mail calling for the ouster of a prominent Republican backs them up.

The December 2003 e-mail, obtained by The (Springfield) State Journal-Register, is from Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office to the Illinois Department of Transportation's finance director.

In it, Blagojevich lawyer Jacob Miller notes William Moss Sr. is a Sangamon County Republican Precinct Committeeman.

"He should be fired don't you think? The guy is in the paper, renewing his will to work for the other team," Miller wrote.

Finance and Administration director Robert Millette replies, "Yes, do the paperwork."

Moss was fired from his $76,572 job as head of IDOT's sign shop in April 2004.

The e-mail bolsters the claim in a federal lawsuit by 17 former IDOT workers that they were fired because of politics. IDOT says their positions were eliminated after an agency reorganization.

As for Moss, he was hired into a position that can be filled based on politics and so could be dismissed for the same reason, IDOT spokesman Brian Williamsen said. But the newspaper reported that IDOT denied the involvement of politics when asked four years ago.

Williamsen said Moss was not part of the reorganization. He is not a part of the other employees' lawsuit but is pressing his own federal lawsuit.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com