From the Rockford Register Star

Ill. ethics bill shows teeth to scandals
Blagojevich warns that he won’t pass up the chance to ‘fix a broken system.’
By CHUCK SWEENY, Rockford Register Star

SPRINGFIELD — Imagine Illinois state government getting its mouth washed out with soap.
After decades of scandals involving governors, secretaries of state and assorted political scoundrels inside and just outside of government, a disgusted public demands just such a clean-up, says Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
People "are fed up with the corruption and cronyism that has become so commonplace in state government," Blagojevich warned as legislators reconvened Tuesday for the fall veto session.
"We must not pass up this chance to fix a broken system," Blagojevich said, adding that he would not allow the veto session to end until legislators agree on a reform bill, pass it and send it to his desk.
Such warnings to hold lawmakers hostage were purely theatrical, said Rep. Dave Winters, R-Shirland, "because he already knew we were ready to pass serious ethics reform."
But wait. Haven’t we seen this movie?
Well, yes. Last spring, the House passed a strong ethics-reform bill, but the Senate watered it down, causing Blagojevich to veto the bill over the summer.
As the first half of the six-day veto session ended Thursday, House and Senate leaders were still groping with details of a bill they could all live with.
Likely provisions include a ban on political activity by state employees, a one-year ban on state officials going to work for firms they’ve regulated, five inspectors general and an executive ethics commission, mandatory personnel policies, a ban on office-holders making public service announcements that are mostly self-promotions, a strong gift ban and protection for whistleblowers.
"I can’t discuss details, but from what I’ve seen, I think the bill that will emerge will have some good teeth in it, and pretty strong provisions in terms of strengthening laws against unethical behavior and misconduct," said Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago.
Senate Democrats who weakened the original bill "have now realized there is support for a strong ethics bill," Winters said.
Cindy Davidsmeyer, spokeswoman for Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, said leaders, including her boss, "are very close to agreement. They’re going to convene again this week in Chicago, hopefully to work out final details."
Republicans have been clamoring to shine the ethics spotlight on what Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, calls the "shadow government." Those are the politically connected private sector consultants who benefit financially from their relationships with state politicians.
"We want the strongest ethics bill we can have. We don’t think it’s strong enough. We have a real concern about the lack of language addressing the ‘shadow government,’" Watson said.
Two Rockford lawmakers say they’re dubious about the virtue of ethics reform.
"If you look at all the problems in the past 10 years, it’s been the unelected advisors who have caused the problems, such as the people making millions off the bonding program," said Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford. These consultants should at least be required to file economic interest statements, he added.
Beyond that, Syverson doesn’t really see the point in adding five inspectors general, each with a staff, to oversee executive branch departments and the Legislature.
"We already are required to disclose every dollar we get, every dollar we spend. If someone does wrong, there’s the state board of elections to go to, the U.S. attorney, the state’s attorney, the state attorney general. This new bureaucracy is going to cost a lot of money," Syverson said.
Joining Syverson in the skeptics’ corner is Rep. Chuck Jefferson, D-Rockford.
"They don’t even want you to accept a golf ball," Jefferson grumbled.
"The way they’re writing the bill now, you’d probably have to pay even for a cup of coffee" with a lobbyist, Jefferson said.
He complained about the possibility of a toll-free phone number for people to tattle on state politicians.
"It’s a lot of time wasted. Whatever someone says about you would have to be documented and investigated, and that’s a lot of time wasted ... They want to micromanage your every move," Jefferson said.
How effective will ethics reform be? Depends on the definition of effective. While inspectors general can indeed root out corruption, critics say they could use their power improperly, perhaps to snoop on unfriendly officials and subpoena them to testify in a public inquiry, maybe just before an election.
Legislators and the governor demand a ban on office-holders using the state’s publicity-making machine to generate publicity for themselves under the guise of providing helpful information.
Notorious examples are Secretary of State Jesse White’s organ donation ads, and State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka’s commercials for "Bright Start," a college tuition program.
State road maps and legislative brochures, both of which are used to promote politicians, may escape scrutiny, Winters said.
Then there’s the state’s official Web site, Illinois.gov. The page is largely a promotional broadside for someone named Rod R. Blagojevich, governor.
Will the Web site catch the eyes of the reform bill writers? Stay tuned. The fun begins Nov. 18 when the Legislature reconvenes for three days in Springfield.