Ethics legislation should become law now

Letter to the Editor
Chicago Tribune, Chicago, IL

Published Friday, August 22, 2008

You have to wonder what it takes to get ethics legislation signed into law in Illinois.

A comprehensive ethics reform bill awaits Gov. Rod Blagojevich's signature. The bill aims to curb pay-to-play politics, which have transformed Illinois into the poster child of corrupt government deal-making.

The legislation places campaign contribution limits on individuals and businesses that receive state contracts and requires more disclosure and transparency from those bidders who do business with the state.

It passed unanimously out of both chambers of the General Assembly earlier this year.

But while it would go a long way toward restoring accountability and integrity to state government, its future remains uncertain.

Blagojevich has suggested the bill doesn't go far enough even as he continues to accept political donations from contributors who have been awarded state contracts. The governor also hinted he may change the legislation as part of his recent Rewrite to Do Right campaign.

That sounds good, but rewriting the bill would jeopardize it from ever becoming law. The General Assembly would have to approve any modifications to the bill, which took years to pass and was the result of painstaking compromise. In addition, toying with the bill could result in a lawsuit challenging the governor's authority and kill it entirely.

Without a doubt, Illinois could implement tougher restrictions than those set by House Bill 824. But we need to start somewhere; this bill is a good, sensible first step.

We've heard the promises, the sound-bite slogans and empty rhetoric. We've endured the headline pandering and witnessed the corruption that has resulted from inaction.

Pay-to-play politics demonstrates that you can put a price tag on corruption and it's a cost Illinois can no longer afford. We're ready for reform.

—Alexi Giannoulias
Illinois State Treasurer