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Governor rewrites ethics bill

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Illinois

Gov. Blagojevich [announced today] that he’s rewriting a state-government ethics bill that has been sitting on his desk, adding changes that include sweeping new limits on campaign contributions and an effort to stop “double-dipping” by some legislators.

The governor also plans to use his power as the state’s chief executive to impose a ban on “businesses, their affiliates and affiliated persons” with state contracts that total more than $50,000 from making contributions to himself, other state constitutional officeholders, legislators, candidates for state office and state political parties, effective Jan. 1, 2009.

* Here’s how the legislation would be changed, according to the governor’s office, with commentary by myself in brackets and in bold…

* Expands contributions ban: Governor Blagojevich is using his constitutional authority to improve House Bill 824 by applying the campaign contribution restrictions contained in the bill to all constitutional officers, members of the General Assembly, candidates for office, and state parties. [A shot at House Speaker Michael Madigan, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois - This provision was first suggested by Senate President Emil Jones, a Madigan enemy.]

* Requires legislators to affirmatively accept pay raises: Unlike the current system, legislative pay raises would have to be passed by both houses in order to take effect. [Also a suggestion from Senate President Emil Jones, who believes that the House always takes the easy way out by rejecting the pay raises in the hopes that the Senate will not follow suit.]

* Double-dippers: Outside employment by legislators with any unit of state, county or municipal government would be prohibited (except teachers, school counselors, university instructors, police officers, firefighters and elected officials). [The governor has repeatedly blamed Chicago “double dipper” legislators for killing his capital projects plan, so this is retribution on a grand scale.]

* Disclosure: Lawmakers and their spouses must disclose lobbying activity before boards, commissions, and units of local government. Legislators would be required to disclose their client, who they lobbied, and their fees. [This is a direct shot at Rep. John Fritchey, one of the co-authors of the original ethics bill who represents legal clients in Chicago zoning matters.]

* There is an agreement to override any gubernatorial changes, however…

“We’ve already talked about it: We will override him,’’ warned state Sen. Debbie Halvorson, D-Chicago Heights. “This has to be signed, as is. . . . We have worked way too long with this.”

* And…

The chief Senate sponsor of the bill, Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, predicted both houses will override the veto. While elements of the governor’s action makes sense, the bill that passed was a consensus measure that lawmakers agreed was the most that could be approved, Mr. Harmon said.

* As always, there’s a twist…

But Senate President Emil Jones, a staunch Blagojevich ally, said he was not aware of any agreement to move an override of the governor’s changes. [emphasis added]

That is simply not true.

* Even so, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform is seeing right through this ploy…

“The governor claims he will strengthen HB 824 with an amendatory veto and executive order, but it is apparent he is trying to bypass the legislative process, rather than work towards real reform. Some of his proposed changes have merit and should be debated as separate bills. In the meantime, the General Assembly should reject his veto and put the most important reform in state statutes.”

* And here’s the trick box…

If the Legislature refuses to accept his changes and doesn’t vote to block them, the original pay-to-play prohibitions would die entirely — and, ironically, Blagojevich could hit legislators for blocking ethics reform that he had a hand in killing.

* Related…

* Governor’s press release: AV Fact Sheet

* Governor’s press release: Ethics reform

* Governor signs executive order on ethics reform

* The devil is in the details with ethics reforms

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 25, 08 @ 5:59 pm

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