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Spotcheck
Newsletter of the Illinois
Campaign for Political Reform
May
15, 2003
Illinois
gets an "F" in Center for Public Integrity's new lobbying report
The Center for Public Integrity (CPI) paints a bleak picture of lobbying disclosure
and ethics enforcement across the nation. Finding no backbone in Illinois' existing
lobbyist registration law, CPI ranked Illinois among the bottom five states
nationally.
The analysis cites multiple weaknesses in Illinois' current law, including that interests are not required to disclose how much they spend on lobbyists or report which issues they are lobbying. The report also took Illinois to task for allowing lobbyists to make campaign contributions during the legislative session which do not have to be immediately reported.
The report is available online at http://www.publicintegrity.org/dtaweb/index.asp?L1=20&L2=10&L3=23&L4=0&L5=0
SBC
cited for lobbyist disclosure lapse
SBC, which last week pushed through a major re-write of laws governing telecom
wholesale rates, was accused this week of failing to disclose all of the lobbyists
it hired. The law - introduced on Tuesday the 6th and signed on Friday the 9th
- followed a flurry of legislative and political activity. To help lobby the
bill, SBC hired at least two influential lobbyists Carter Hendren, who
left his post as Senate Minority Chief of Staff earlier this session, and Victor
Reyes, former Chief of Staff to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley - but failed
to disclose those lobbying contracts as required by law. "It's merely a
matter that we were very busy, and it was simply human error that it didn't
get filed," an SBC spokeswoman told the Chicago Sun-Times.
For more on the story, click here: ICPR's Illinois Newsroom
Ethics
legislation expected soon
ICPR, together with partners in the Illinois Campaign Reform Coalition, has
been meeting with legislative leaders to discuss components of a comprehensive
ethics package. A final bill is expected soon, which we expect to include the
establishment of an ethics commission, restrictions on campaign solicitations,
a revolving door policy, tightening of the lobbyist code, enhanced disclosure,
and a whistleblower provision. Citizens concerned about the conduct of government
should contact their legislators now to encourage ethics reform.
Click here to find your legislator: http://www.elections.state.il.us/DLS/Pages/DLSAddressCrit.asp
