Brought to mind by a Chicago Sun-Times story about the death of Peter Bensinger is the following memory:
My consolation prize for running unsuccessfully against Roland Burris for State Comptroller in 1982 was being named the Manager of the Bureau of Benefits (health insurance, deferred compensation and workers’ comp) in the Department of Management Services for state employees.
One day a contract with Peter Bensinger appeared on my desk on the fifth floor of the Stratton Building.
It was for some service of which I knew nothing.
I refused to sign the contract.
My division chief for health insurance didn’t have my set of scruples and signed it.
