In another wanton display of sibling rivalry, Jeb is out to show W that he’s got nothing on Jeb, unqualified-and-crony-hiring-wise. The Gainesville Sun is reporting that Florida’s new education chancellor was a two-for-one deal, with her husband thrown in for good measure.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulation hired Dennis Yecke last month. He is being paid $102,000 a year in his new position, about $5,000 more than the person who previously had the job. Yecke’s wife, Cheri Yecke, was named chancellor of the state’s K-12 schools in August and began her job last month. She is making $152,000 a year…
While she was education commissioner in Minnesota, her husband was appointed to an $84,000 position as a deputy commissioner with the state’s economic development agency. That appointment by Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty came during a hiring freeze, leading Democrats to rip his appointment.
”It’s just old-fashioned nepotism,” said Minnesota state Rep. Loren Solberg in a 2003 news release.
Cheri, who was forced to resign as head of education in Minnesota after her inability to separate church and state got out of hand, was the best person Jeb could find in all the land to run education in Florida. With a new report out that Florida ranks last in graduation rates for the second year in a row, at 56.8% (the national average is 71.5%), it’s not a stretch to think this woman really does represent the best and brightest to Jeb.
But her husband? Even some Republicans are skeptical.
”I find it hard to believe in the whole state of Florida we didn’t have somebody” qualified for the job, [Sen. Nancy Argenziano, R-Dunnellon] said. Requests to speak with Cheri Yecke were declined…Requests to speak with Dennis Yecke also were declined.
I just saw the Tallahasee Democrat op-ed from Nov. 4 on whether Bush’s hiring of Education
Secretary Cheri Yecke’s husband amounts to cronyism. Ha! Of course it does, simply on its
face! Aren’t there more pertinent questions to ask?
Beyond begrudging Bush or his staff for patronage and perks that they have the power to offer,
it’s worth learning that Cheri Yecke drives a hard bargain. A job for Dennis, her husband, was
probably a part of the recrutiment discussion with the Bush administration, just as it was a
part of the deal she negotiated three years earlier with Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. You
can also infer that Cheri and Dennis Yecke have no qualms, dilemmas or regrets about the deal
she’s negotiated. They don’t think it’s an issue. And if you don’t like it, tough.
This is just the beginning of what you’re going to learn from Cheri Yecke. Enjoy it Florida –
she’s all yours now.
–Todd Graham
Saint Paul, Minnesota
former employee of Dennis Yecke
Nancy Argenziano is not exactly republican. Just because you register republican doesn’t mean you are one. She is a lib-dem so please don’t say “even republicans” when quoting her. Her opinion is meaningless to knowledgeable republicans. Maybe it means something to ignorant democrats? I wouldn’t pretend to know.