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Sen. Martin Sandoval: ‘Error’ giving reputed mobster’s son scholarship

July 4, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times

By Dave McKinney

State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) awarded a taxpayer-funded college scholarship for $8,200 to Michael A. Giorango, who’s the son of three-time felon and reputed mobster Michael C. “Jaws” Giorango.

And then Sandoval did something that state officials say was even more unusual: He tried to revoke the scholarship that he’d awarded to the younger Giorango to attend Illinois State University.

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Quinn signs bill keeping Illinois gun owners’ names private

July 3, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times

 By Darryl Holliday

The identities of people authorized to own guns in Illinois will be kept private and exempt from Freedom of Information Act requests under a new law signed Saturday by Gov. Pat Quinn.

Quinn — in opposition to Attorney General Lisa Madigan — signed the bill amending both the Freedom of Information Act and the Firearm Owner’s Identification Card Act to keep the names of gun owners confidential except in cases of a criminal investigation.

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Judge keeps prosecutors on Bianchi case

July 2, 2011
Chicago Tribune

 By Robert McCoppin

A judge ruled Friday that prosecutors must stay on the case against McHenry County State's Attorney Louis Bianchi, rejecting their attempts to withdraw.

Special prosecutor Thomas McQueen had argued that because defense attorney Terry Ekl threatened to sue, alleging improper investigation and prosecution, he was ethically bound to withdraw — to avoid the appearance that he was influenced by a personal stake in the case.

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Editors Roundtable: Stopping corruption in Illinois politics

July 3, 2011
Galesburg Register Mail

Question: What should be done to overcome the decades of corruption in Illinois government?

Regulation and transparency are keys

Illinois politics has become synonymous with corrupt politics. Chicago helped cut that swath for us Illinoisans and our recent governors have advanced the narrative. First, it’s important to acknowledge that most of our legislators are not corrupt. Our state Rep. Don Moffitt, for instance, is as clean as they come.

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Angry enough? Demand reforms in politics now? (Editorial)

July 3, 2011
Bloomington Pantagraph

By The Pantagraph Editorial Board

One former governor in prison and another on his way — that should be enough to rekindle the fire for political ethics reform that was ignited following the arrest and impeachment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Blagojevich’s conviction on federal political corruption charges should provide a spark, but it’s up to the public to fan the flames.

“In an odd way, having this come up again … is an opportunity for us to focus on what needs to be done,” said Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon.

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Our Opinion: Don’t let reforms languish (Editorial)

July 3, 2011
State Journal-Register

Where corruption was concerned, Rod Blagojevich was something of a freak of nature.

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How to stop the next Blagojevich (Editorial)

July 2, 2011
Chicago Tribune

It was bleeping golden, and a whole lot more. Jurors who convicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich of 17 corruption counts said they might have fallen for his denials if not for the taped conversations secretly recorded by federal prosecutors.

"I was one where I felt he was not guilty on several counts," one juror explained. "But, lo and behold, we would go back through the tapes and there it was."

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Big donation to Proft got in under wire

July 1, 2011
State Journal-Register

By Bernard Schoenburg

DAN PROFT, a conservative activist who sought the Republican nomination for governor last year, has a pretty good nest egg if he decides to take the political plunge again.

That’s because a significant contributor to his campaign, RICHARD UIHLEIN of Lake Forest, donated $500,000 to Proft’s campaign fund on Dec. 28 — just days before such a donation would have been illegal under new state election funding rules.

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A patriotic agenda: Make elected officials report income

July 1, 2011
Chicago Sun-Times

 By Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon

Hot dogs, hamburgers and reform. That’s what we’re asking for this patriotic holiday.

After Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested in December 2008, we got a first crack at reform. Now that the former governor has been convicted on 17 counts of corruption, we should get real change.

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DuPage sheriff's use of deputies' cash criticized

July 8, 2011
Chicago Tribune

By Christy Gutowski and Joe Mahr

A state senator and a long-serving DuPage County Board member are calling on the DuPage sheriff to stop asking his employees for campaign cash.

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