After religious divisions paralyzed a state commission on hate crimes, Illinois lawmakers wanted a fresh start. They created a new version of the Governor’s Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes, designed to promote tolerance within the state’s div
But seven months later, Gov. Rod Blagojevich hasn’t appointed a single person to the overhauled commission, which will fail to accomplish its first major goal, presenting a report by March 30.
Meanwhile, the old version of the commission hasn’t met in two years, but its executive director, Kimberly M. White, continues to draw her $96,000 annual salary “There’s plenty of competent people in the state of Illinois that could serve on this commission,” Sen. Ira Silverstein, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the legislation to establish a new version of the commission, said.
“It’s something, unfortunately, in society that we have to deal with. The governor’s staff wouldn’t explain why Blagojevich hasn’t named anyone to the commission but did say they are reviewing candidates recommended by the state’s Human Rights Department.
Spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff also said the Democratic governor is following through on his promise to hold private discussions meant to help bridge the state’s racial and religious differences, although she would provide no details.
“The issues won’t be resolved overnight, but the governor is focused on maintaining dialogue and doing what he can as the chief executive of the state to foster diversity and support people who have traditionally been left behind,” she said in a statement.
The original version of the hate crimes commission fell apart over Blagojevich’s appointment of Sister Claudette Marie Muhammad, a high-ranking Nation of Islam official. Her appointment went largely unnoticed until she invited fellow commissioners to a speech by her boss, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, where he reportedly made disparaging remarks about Jews and gays.
Five Jewish members of the commission soon resigned in protest. “It’s difficult for me to see how you could be eradicating hate when your primary boss is the one that spews it out,” one of them, Lonnie Nasatir, said recently. Muhammad declined to comment. Blagojevich argued Muhammad wasn’t responsible for Farrakhan’s remarks.
He refused to ask for her resignation but pledged to begin a “meaningful dialogue” on race and religion in the state. His schedule for 2006 and most of 2007 shows only one meeting on the subject, when the controversy was near its peak. But Blagojevich could have had other meetings by phone or discussed the issue during his occasional appearances at churches and synagogues.
The hate crimes commission never met again, but the Blagojevich administration says its staff continues to do work, particularly on research for an anti-bullying program the commission had discussed. Silverstein said White shouldn’t be paid to oversee a commission that no longer exists. He also said he has heard nothing from the governor about appointing a new commission.
“I have no idea why he hasn’t appointed anybody,” Silverstein said. Blagojevich signed legislation in August that dismantled the old commission and requires Senate approval of future appointments. The result is that Muhammad and all other members have been ousted. Rep. Lou Lang, the House sponsor of that legislation, criticized the governor for not taking action.
“One has to wonder what the governor’s motivations are,” the Skokie Democrat said. Some members of the old commission say they’ve been left in the dark about the new version.
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