It might feel a little odd to talk about ethics reform in Illinois while GOP politicians in the nation’s capital are making a dumpster fire out of every good government rule they can find.
But after Thursday’s conviction of longtime former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the state needs to move forward and finally chart a new course that can be an example for the rest of the nation.
As Ryan Tolley, executive director at CHANGE Illinois, said, “There are plenty of issues we need to address [that would] send a strong message to Washington and the nation.”
Yes, many of the ethics violations we saw play out in Madigan’s four-month trial already are illegal. New guidelines won’t deter people determined to break the law.
Yet Illinois can have a more ethical government if it reforms campaign finance, improves the legislative inspector general’s oversight power, tightens lobbying rules, cracks down on conflicts of interest and does more to slow down the notorious swinging door, in which individuals move between government and private firms that benefit from government decisions. Such reforms would reduce the amount of activity that is corrosive to good government.
Many of these ideas have been floating around for years, with limited legislative action. There also are more recent ideas that should be considered.
Public utilities, loopholes, inspector general
For example, on Jan. 23, state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, introduced a bill, since co-sponsored by state Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, to prohibit public utilities from making political contributions to state or municipal candidates or political action committees that are set up to support those candidates. The names of utilities have come up frequently in Illinois corruption trials.
At the moment, it’s too tempting for utilities to shower contributions on lawmakers to gain favorable legislation that benefits their shareholders but hits customers in the wallet. Utilities, which people depend on for electricity, water and gas, don’t really need to make all those donations.
“The whole way in which public utilities have gamed policy for their benefit has been outrageous, and we need to rein that in,” Rashid told us.
Other ethics bills also have been introduced in the Legislature as lawmakers try to seize the moment to close loopholes in existing laws.
Little has been done in the way of ethics reform since a package of measures was enacted in 2021. Many good ideas have been left on the table. Now the Legislature should step up and extend the revolving door ban after a lawmaker retires, instead of leaving the ban at just six months. Lawmakers also should be required to recuse themselves from voting in instances where they or their family members could profit, a clear case of conflict of interest.
Reform for Illinois also has been pushing for — among other reforms — giving the legislative inspector general the power to open investigations and subpoena documents and witnesses, without waiting for permission from lawmakers on the Legislative Ethics Commission; and enabling the inspector general to publish reports about ethics violations that involve members of the legislature without permission from the Ethics Commission.
Reform for Illinois also wants members of the public on the Ethics Commission, instead of just legislators.
The goal isn’t to trip up lawmakers who try to follow the rules, providing fodder that can be used against them in the next election. Nor is it to bury them in paperwork.
But as the rules are set up now, the noxious tradition of pay-to-play hasn’t been extinguished.
Madigan’s conviction, which followed a long string of state and Chicago officials convicted of abusing their offices, might make Illinoisans feel resigned to the status quo, or hopeless about ever getting honest and transparent government.
A solid package of effective new ethics reforms would help restore people’s confidence in the state’s future.
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