Chart of the Week: What ObamaCare grant paid state’s Democrat insiders

If you have any doubt that political cronyism isn’t alive and well in Illinois, look no further than an ObamaCare scandal that broke late last week. Investigations by the Associated Press and Crain’s found that a subcontractor to a $33 million ObamaCare grant was billing at $282 per hour. Turns out the subcontractor is owned...

If you have any doubt that political cronyism isn’t alive and well in Illinois, look no further than an ObamaCare scandal that broke late last week.

Investigations by the Associated Press and Crain’s found that a subcontractor to a $33 million ObamaCare grant was billing at $282 per hour. Turns out the subcontractor is owned by three top Democrat strategists with close ties to Gov. Pat Quinn, Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan, Attorney General Lisa Madigan and former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. Unsurprisingly, a special provision of their contract made this group the only subcontractor authorized to take direction directly from Quinn’s office.

Not only does this billing rate appear to be out of line when compared to other states that received similar grants – standing at more than 12 times the average wage in Illinois – it is far above what more highly skilled and educated professionals earn in the state.

At a time when there are fewer people working in Illinois than when Quinn took office, political cronyism remains lucrative.