Allowing no debate, democrats rammed the nomination of Michael Fenger as Labor Secy. through the Illinois Senate on April 10. But Sen. Peter Roskam (R) managed to mention Fenger’s “criminal background” three times during procedural questions.
The frmr. Business Mgr. of Intl. Bhd. of Electrical Wrkrs. Local 364 pled guilty to property damage and reckless conduct after police officers saw him puncture all four tires of a non union worker’s car as he tried to leave a Wal-Mart construction site but was surrounded by union protesters in 1997. When Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed Fenger labor secy. earlier this year, Fenger claimed to have only pled “no contest.” But the prosecuting attny. pointed out that no such plea exists in IL law.
“Now I represent the workers of the state of Illinois — all of them, union or not — that’s my new job,” Fenger said after his committee hearing the week before the senate vote. [Rockford Register Star, 4/11/03]