Doyle gives six-figure lobbying job to woman convicted in state’s largest political scandal

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The state government has given a six-figure job to an aide convicted in the Capitol’s biggest political scandal.

Tanya Bjork, 38, started Monday as the head of the state’s lobbying efforts in Washington.

In 2005, Bjork pleaded no contest to altering records and illegally seeking campaign money while she served as the chief of staff to former Senate Democrat Brian Burke.

Burke was convicted himself of using his Capitol office to run a failed campaign for state attorney general.

Bjork is filling a job that’s been left open for just more than a year.

She’s getting $102,000 a year, about 17 percent more than what her predecessor made.

Bjork helped run Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in Wisconsin.

Administration Secretary Michael Morgan said Bjork’s experience in working with Obama’s people will help Wisconsin on things like the economic stimulus package and health care reform.

Bjork has not commented and nobody at the Capitol would address her prior conviction.

Lee Sensenbrenner of Gov. Jim Doyle’s office said her experience with Obama’s people is more important.

Jay Heck of the watchdog group Common Cause called it a continuation of “the political spoils system.”

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