From the Tribune (Editorial):
Ethics held hostage, Day 351

April 10, 2008
It has been almost a year—351 days, but who's counting?—since a bill to raise ethics standards in state government whizzed out of the Illinois House on a 116-0 vote and landed with a thud in the Senate. More than three-quarters of the members of the Senate signed on as co-sponsors, a pretty good sign that the measure would pass there, too, given half a chance. But that's half a chance more than Senate President Emil Jones has been willing to give it.
The bill would restrict most businesses that contract with the state from making campaign contributions to the officeholder who awards the contract. An elected official who opposes such a measure, at least out loud, invites the conclusion that he or she is protecting the pay-to-play culture that has been on spectacular display in the federal courthouse for the last several weeks, with Antoin "Tony" Rezko currently in the starring role.
Rezko is one of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's closest allies; Jones is another. But that's not why Jones hasn't called the ethics bill for a vote, he says. He hasn't called it because he wants to pass a better one.
That's what he's been saying for 351 days.
The "better bill" that Senate Democrats have been working on for almost a year finally squirted out of the Rules Committee on Wednesday. It eliminates a House provision that would require a contractor to include a campaign contribution disclosure statement along with its bid for state business. That information might be more properly addressed to the state Board of Elections than to the officeholder awarding the contract, but that's not exactly a deal breaker. Aside from that, it looks an awful lot like the House bill.
Sponsor Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) thinks it has a good chance of passing. Of course, the Senate could have passed a good bill a year ago. We've been hearing this refrain from the Senate—just give us a little more time—for way too long.
Senate Democrats are painfully aware that their reluctance to challenge Jones on this and many other fronts makes them look like a flock of hapless sheeple. So it's likely the Senate will dither awhile longer and then pass a slightly altered ethics bill on a lopsided vote and send it to the House, instead of to the governor's desk.
At the end of the day we'll have two bills and no law. If that's how it shakes out, smart voters will hold the Senate Democrats accountable.
Speaking of accountability: The House tossed another hot potato in Jones' lap this week, voting 75-33 to permit a Nov. 4 vote on whether to add a recall amendment to the state constitution.
Last fall, an independent survey of 600 registered voters found that 65 percent wanted the option of removing an inept politician from office. But the betting in Springfield is that Jones will put a brick on it, just like he has with the ethics bill.
Jones has a choice. He can get out of the way and let the democratic process do its work. Or he can cement the Illinois Senate's reputation as the place where government for the people goes to die.