family ties meaningless?

From a Pantagraph editorial:

Freveletti told the Chicago Tribune her family ties had nothing to do with her getting the job. Maybe so. But we are getting a little tired of hearing legislative liaison after legislative liaison deny that their family/political ties have nothing to do with why they were hired. Other examples are the legislative liaisons for the Department of Natural Resources and State Fire Marshal's Office.

This kind of lying undermines confidence in the government.

Look, if she's qualified based on her family connections, why not just tell the truth?

"The chief qualification for this job is having personal relationships with members of the legislature. I acquired many of these relationships through members of my family, but my family loyalties aren't my qualifications."

But the B-team isn't talented enough to coach appointees like Freveletti to answer basic questions with tact and diplomacy.