From The State Journal-Register:

Governor: Agency to fight corruption
Blagojevich also plans ethics hot line

By DOUG FINKE
STATE CAPITOL BUREAU

Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Thursday he plans to create a $6 million agency employing up to 50 people to root out corruption in state government.

Blagojevich also issued a series of executive orders for all employees under his control to undergo ethics training and to establish an ethics hot line to report suspected public corruption.

"We run the risk that public corruption will be associated with Illinois government, just as earthquakes are associated with California and hurricanes are associated with Florida," Blagojevich said at a news conference in Chicago. "These orders are designed to change the culture of corruption that has permeated state government."

Blagojevich plans to appoint an inspector general "assigned to investigate any allegations of corruption or any other misconduct by any employee in my office or any agency, board or commission responsible to the governor."

Although Blagojevich will appoint the inspector general, who will report directly to him, the post will be independent of the governor's office, Blagojevich said.

No one has been appointed to the post, although Blagojevich said he has several people in mind.

"We intend to hire a very qualified and capable person who has a background fighting and uncovering corruption," Blagojevich said. "We've got some names already that I think (the public) will be very impressed with it. That will be a far cry from Dean Bauer."

Bauer was inspector general for former Gov. George Ryan when Ryan served as secretary of state. Federal prosecutors said Bauer covered up corruption rather than putting a stop to it.

Blagojevich said he envisions an inspector general's office employing as many as 50 people and with a $6 million annual budget. He insisted that some of the cost will be offset by eliminating the "corruption tax" - what such activities cost state government.

Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said she is both pleased and surprised at the amount Blagojevich wants to spend on the inspector general's office.

"We have certainly advocated putting resources into this," she said. "I was taken aback by how much was being put into it. It is very hard to put a price tag on that corruption tax."

Canary added that the plan Blagojevich announced Thursday is a "great first step." More reforms should come in areas such as campaign contributions from state workers and establishment of commissions to review ethics issues on an ongoing basis, she said.

Blagojevich plans to work with Attorney General Lisa Madigan to develop comprehensive ethics legislation for consideration by lawmakers this spring. Details are still being developed.

Other components of the Blagojevich ethics plan include:

His staff will develop an ethics training awareness program, which all employees under his control will have to take within six months.

Establishment of the toll-free hotline, sometime after an inspector general is named. Callers will be able to report corruption without identifying themselves.

Banning retaliation against state workers who report corruption. The state already has some whistle-blower protections, but Blagojevich said his executive order will allow him to punish officials who threaten whistle-blowers.

Doug Finke can be reached at 788-1527 or doug.finke@sj-r.com.