From the Chicago Sun-Times

Top lobbyist's wife to quit NIU board
December 8, 2003
BY DAVE MCKINNEY

Sun-Times Springfield Bureau

SPRINGFIELD--The latest casualty of a sweeping state ethics law is Catherine Adduci, whose husband, Al Ronan, is a well-known power lobbyist attracting the attention of federal investigators probing alleged corruption at the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, commonly called McPier.
Adduci, 45, announced last Friday that she intends to step down from the seven-member board of Northern Illinois University, a post she has held since her 2001 appointment by former Gov. George Ryan. Her term was set to expire in early 2005.
Under a new ethics law that took effect last month, lobbyists or their spouses no longer are allowed to serve on the more than 100 state-appointed boards and commissions, forcing lobbyists to choose between their livelihoods and sometimes lucrative, part-time government service.
A former legislator, Ronan operates one of the Statehouse's most high-powered lobbying firms, representing more than 60 special interests or local governments in Springfield. His firm's client portfolio includes Argosy Gaming Co., the owner of riverboat casinos in Joliet and Alton, the Illinois State Medical Society, the cable television industry and AT&T.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported last summer that Ronan is a focus of a federal investigation at McPier, which was once headed by his close friend Scott Fawell, who was sentenced to 61/2 years in prison for political corruption.
Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed many records from McPier about Ronan's lobbying for clients competing for contracts there, and federal investigators appeared at Ronan's lobbying office and seized documents earlier this year.
Adduci, a 1980 NIU marketing alum, was not paid as a university board member. She has not been implicated in any wrongdoing.
The timing of her departure from the university board is uncertain, partly because of confusion over when the lobbyist prohibition takes effect. When legislators approved ethics reforms this fall, they did so in two separate packages with different effective dates.
The first involved an override of a veto by Gov. Blagojevich of legislation passed last spring. That package contained a restriction on lobbyists or spouses from serving on boards or commissions and became effective last month.
A second piece of legislation awaiting Blagojevich's signature contains a nearly identical provision involving a lobbyist's service on state panels. However, in that bill the restriction does not take effect until Feb. 1.
Ronan attorney James Cutrone said Adduci will adhere to the Feb. 1 deadline to step down.
"Whether she'll resign effective Jan. 1 or Jan. 10 or Dec. 20, I don't know. She'll certainly comply with the law," he said.
For her to have remained on the NIU board, her husband would have had to forgo all contact with legislators and other state officials on behalf of his lobbying clients.
Adduci, of River Forest, did not return a message relayed to her by the Sun-Times through NIU.
The tighter ethics laws have caused lobbyists to scramble in the last few weeks. That includes Thursday's resignation of Victor Reyes, lobbyist and former political chief for Mayor Daley, from the CTA board.
The chairman of the Illinois Community College Board, horse racing lobbyist Ed Duffy, also resigned his post.
In other instances, lobbyists have let their state registrations lapse so they or their spouses can continue serving on government panels. Republican power broker William Cellini, for example, opted to end his lobbying so wife Julie could continue as the unpaid chairwoman of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency board.