Gov. Bruce Rauner has reversed about 180 state appointments dating back to the Quinn administration. (Photo by Adam Studzinski/WJBC)

By Eric Stock 

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington man is left wondering what happened to his state appointment. 

Among the nearly 200 state appointments Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has nixed was that of Dan Deneen as a court-appointed public guardian, a post he was first appointed to by the last Republican governor, George Ryan in 2002. 

Deneen told WJBC's Scott Laughlin, there should be no politics involved. 

"Fifty years ago it was a political position where a state Senator would nominate one of his friends as public administrator to handle some of these probate estates and receive nice fees, but that's no longer the case," Deneen said, adding he's not paid by the state but from family estates.

"That's the crazy thing, it doesn't cost the state a dime," Deneen said. 

Deneen added his appointment was backed by state Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington). He's asking local lawmakers and other court officials to try to figure out what happened. 

He said when the Blagojevich administration left the post vacant, the McLean County court allowed him to fill the role in an unofficial capacity. 

"You can't have a gap where the persons requiring guardianship don't have an official person to assist them in day-to-day care decisions, managing their finances and avoiding financial exploitation," Deneen said. 

He said while Democratic Gov. Quinn reappointed him, his application asked whom he voted for in the last election. He replied 'none of your business.'

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].