From the Tribune

Ethics reform—with loopholes
Tribune staff report
    September 23, 2008
WHAT THE LAW WILL DO
•Bans businesses with one or more contracts totaling more than $50,000 from making a campaign donation to the governor or other statewide officeholder who awards the contract and to declared candidates seeking the office. (Other offices covered are lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and comptroller.)
•Ban applies to major owners, officers and key employees of a business.
•Ban also applies to those seeking contracts worth more than $50,000, from the time the state officially requests bids.
•Companies that receive state contracts must register with the Illinois State Board of Elections within 30 days and must report all contributions made to political committees.
•A single violation may be punished by voiding a contract. Three violations within 36 months would void all state contracts with the business.
LOOPHOLES IN LAW
•Will still allow unlimited donations to state political party funds or political action committees, both of which could simply pass along the campaign cash to statewide officials who hand out state contracts.
•Does not prohibit state contractors from donating to lawmakers or their legislative leaders, who over the years have amassed huge campaign funds and still exert great influence in who gets state business.

BLAGOJEVICH'S CHANGES
Executive order
•Embodied his rewrite of the bill, but the order to take effect Jan. 1 applies only to state agencies he directly controls. It does not apply to agencies such as the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and the University of Illinois that are covered under the legislation.
•Would expand the ban so that contractors could not donate to any statewide officeholder, lawmaker or candidate for office. Donations to state political parties would also be banned.
•Would ban contributions only from those who have won a contract. Bidders seeking business from the state could still donate. Blagojevich said banning donations from bidders could be an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.
Amendatory veto
•Would change the way lawmakers vote on pay raises, requiring them to vote in favor of an increase.
•Cracking down on what he calls "double dipping," Blagojevich would ban legislators from holding office and simultaneously being employed by any unit of state, county or municipal government, with a few exceptions.
•Lawmakers and their spouses who are also lobbyists would also be required to provide additional disclosure information about their clients and fees.
•Critics say his changes are overly broad and invite a court challenge.