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Spotcheck

Newsletter of The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform
March 28, 2003

Senate Passes Supreme Court Public Financing Bill

What a difference a year makes. Last year, a bill to provide a voluntary public financing option for Illinois Supreme Court candidates couldn't even get a public hearing in the Illinois Senate. This year, the bill passed the full Senate on a 39-17 vote. The legislation, SB 1415, now moves to the House, where Representative Kevin McCarthy is its chief sponsor.

The rising cost and politicization of judicial races in Illinois is viewed as a growing problem. A survey of Illinois voters found that over 85% believe campaign contributions have an impact on judicial decisions. Spending on high court races has exploded, and the 2002 Fourth District contest set a new record for general election spending, as incumbent Justice Rita Garman and challenger Sue Myerscough combined to spend in excess of $1.4 million.

For more information on ICPR's judicial project, click here: http://ilcampaign.org/court.html

Fawell Verdict Shows Need for Ethics Legislation

After the jury found former Ryan Chief of Staff Scott Fawell guilty of corruption, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald noted that the case "was not political reform. It was prosecuting a crime. If that leads to political reform, that's a great thing. But we shouldn't dress it up as being something other than what it was." Fitzgerald's shrewd comments remind us that lasting ethics reform will not come by judicial fiat, or by prosecutorial action. Change requires leadership, new legislation, new policies, and the implementation of preventative measures to catch problems before they get to the courts.

This session there is reason for optimism. Legislators from each of the four caucuses staff from the Governor's and the Attorney General's Office and campaign reform advocates are participating in discussions, which we anticipate will lead to a comprehensive ethics proposal. Let your legislator know that it's time for Illinois to get serious about ethics.

For more information about ethics reform, click here: http://ilcampaign.org/ethics/
For more information on the Fawell trial, click here: http://ilcampaign.org/scandal/

UIS Summit on Politics and Ethics in Illinois, April 29, 2003

"Politics and Ethics in Illinois: Past, Present, and Future" is the topic of the 2003 Public Policy Summit sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Center for Governmental Studies of the University of Illinois at Springfield. The event will be held from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. on April 29, 2003 at the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus in Springfield. It is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Call Charlene Lambert at (217) 206-6502 by April 21.

The Policy Summit will explore the ethical health of Illinois government and politics and generate ideas for improving it. The keynote address will be given by Judge Abner Mikva, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago and former state legislator, congressman and White House legal counsel. Roundtable speakers will include Cynthia Canary, director of the ICPR;
Howard Carroll, former state senator from Chicago; David Kenney, professor emeritus of political science at SIU-Carbondale; Mike Lawrence, associate director of the Public Policy Institute at SIU; Howard Peters III, vice president of the Illinois Hospital Association; Alan Rosenthal, professor of political science at Rutgers University; and Kent Redfield, professor of political studies at UIS. Charles Wheeler, professor of public affairs reporting at UIS, will serve as moderator.