Walker's Office Shoveled 65% State Position Raise To Former Top Staffer

Doesn't much look like Personnel 101 or Standard Operating Procedure, but Walker, who usually doesn't know anything, sure has some explaining to do:

Madison - Three days after Cindy Archer was to have started her job as the legislative liaison at the state Department of Children and Families - and while she was already being paid sick leave for it - the agency interviewed someone else for the same job.

Department officials did not fully explain why they interviewed another person to be the legislative liaison. They did not respond to a question asking if they expected Archer to stay in the job for long.

Documents released under the state's open records law Friday also show the office of Gov. Scott Walker - and not the Department of Children and Families - offered Archer the job at up to 65% more than what the last person to hold the position made.

Children and Families Secretary Eloise Anderson never interviewed Archer for the nearly $100,000-a-year job, even though Anderson is responsible for appointing someone to the post.

Archer was granted the job just weeks before her home was raided by the FBI as part of a secret John Doe investigation of current and former Walker aides, dating back to when he was still Milwaukee County executive and running for governor.

The newly released records also show Archer was informed of the job offer on Aug. 19 - a day after she technically received it, according to state paperwork.

More context, here.