|
"The governor and I have
discussed this decision at length. With major staffing decisions
nearly completed, plans for the state of the state address in place
and budget strategy progressing, Governor Blagojevich felt this was
a good time to honor my request to make the change and allow me to
spend more time with my family," Scofield said.
"After a lengthy campaign and
some time in this important role in the administration, I believe
the best opportunity for me is to be able to continue to serve the
governor in the private sector and devote more time and attention to
my family," Scofield said. "Being part of Rod's kitchen cabinet and
working to build my own government and public relations business
will help me to reach that goal," Scofield added.
"Doug is a trusted aide, a
gifted strategist and invaluable policy adviser," Blagojevich said.
"He has been essential to my efforts both as a candidate and as
governor. I appreciate his seriousness of purpose, his commitment to
the public good and his steady, sure leadership.
"I am sorry to see him go, but
I will continue to work very closely with him, and I respect his
decision to put his family first."
"As someone with a young
daughter and another child on the way, I know how hard it is to
balance the demands of public service with the demands of a young
family," Blagojevich continued. "It was important to Doug to be able
to spend more time with his children, and, as his friend, it was
important to me to honor that request. Today's announcement gives
Doug the freedom to focus on his family, start his own business and
yet still be actively involved in my administration as a key
adviser."
Blagojevich drew comparisons
between Scofield and former White House aide Karen Hughes, who was a
key adviser to President Bush when he was governor of Texas, during
his 2000 campaign and during the beginning of his administration.
Like Scofield, she left government in order to fulfill her family
obligations, yet remains a close and constant adviser to her former
boss. Scofield is expected to follow suit.
"He may be leaving the
administration, but he will remain a key and trusted aide and
friend," Blagojevich said.
Scofield, a resident of Oak
Park, served as Blagojevich's deputy campaign manager in charge of
communications and policy. He joined the campaign at a crucial
point, when Blagojevich was working to secure the nomination during
a competitive three-candidate primary. His role in shaping the media
strategy for the Blagojevich campaign was enhanced further during
the time before the general election, when Scofield was a top
adviser in terms of coordinating the various elements of the
candidate's message and developing a substantive issues-based
agenda. He often served as a surrogate for the candidate in
televised interviews.
Prior to joining Blagojevich's
campaign in February of 2002, Scofield served as chief of staff to
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez. In that position he focused on immigration
policy and implementing innovative constituent service and outreach
initiatives.
Scofield is a graduate of
Northwestern University and worked in several capacities in Chicago
government and politics before joining the Gutierrez staff. He also
has extensive experience as a national political consultant.
Scofield and his wife, Melanie,
have two children, Logan, 4, and Carter, 2. Melanie launched
Scofield Communications, a successful public relations and
communications firm, in Washington, D.C., in 1999.
"My transition has been helped
by the successful effort to find a talented replacement who will not
just fill my shoes as the new deputy governor but make his own mark
as well," Scofield added.
[to top of second column in
this article] |
The new deputy governor will be
Bradley Tusk, currently special assistant to New York City Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg. Tusk will join the Blagojevich administration
beginning March 10. As deputy governor, Tusk will manage the
governor's policy and communications operations and will be working
closely with a wide number of state agencies.
As special assistant to Mayor
Bloomberg, Tusk has worked to fulfill many of the mayor's major
policy initiatives, ranging from making the city's schools more
parent-friendly to making city government more
customer-service-friendly. Tusk served as co-executive director of
the 2002 Charter Revision Commission, guiding a mayoral succession
reform to victory with over 61 percent of the vote. Tusk has
launched a number of policy initiatives for Mayor Bloomberg,
including creating one-stop Government Help Centers and making
interagency transactions more efficient. He also created and
produced the mayor's "Thank You America" video to convey New York's
appreciation for the nation's response to the events of Sept. 11,
developed the mayor's digital newsletter, and serves as a key
adviser on policy and media issues. In addition, Tusk serves as the
mayor's liaison to a number of political organizations and civic and
religious institutions.
"Helping Mayor Bloomberg get
New York City back on its feet in the aftermath of Sept. 11th has
been a tremendous honor," Tusk said. "At the same time, Rod
Blagojevich is at the forefront of a movement that will really help
move Illinois forward. The chance to be part of that is the
opportunity of a lifetime."
"Bradley Tusk is a tireless and
talented individual who leaves my administration with a strong
record of accomplishment, from steering the successful charter
reform effort to helping instill a new standard of openness and
accountability in government. I am confident he will serve the
people of Illinois just as capably and as thoughtfully as he did the
people of New York City," Mayor Bloomberg said.
"Bradley is someone who can
both think creatively and make things happen," Blagojevich said.
"With his experience as the communications director for a leading
United States senator, as well as extensive hands-on operational
experience in local government and his training as an attorney,
Bradley is exceptionally qualified to serve as deputy governor.
We're extremely excited to have him on board and build on Doug's
accomplishments,"
Before joining the Bloomberg
administration, Tusk served as communications director for U.S. Sen.
Charles E. Schumer. In that position, Tusk managed the senator's
media affairs and served as the senator's senior adviser on
political, public and legislative issues. He also led the senator's
public efforts to secure over $20 billion in federal funding to help
rebuild New York City in the aftermath of Sept. 11.
Tusk has also served as senior
adviser to New York City Parks Commissioner Henry Stern. In that
position, he developed and implemented the agency's policy
initiatives (from moving agency functions online to combating
quality-of-life violations in city parks), oversaw divisions ranging
from marketing to research and development to e-government, and
produced concerts in Central Park, including Sting and Sheryl Crow &
Friends. Tusk has also served as a spokesman for Parks, a law clerk
in the Justice Department's Office of Special Investigations (which
investigates and prosecutes Nazi war criminals hiding in the United
States) and as a New York City Government Scholar.
Tusk
is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University
of Chicago Law School. He has served as an adjunct professor at
Fordham University and is a member of the New York State Bar
Association.
[Illinois
Government News Network
press release] |
