|
The organization F Minus gives Illinois a grade of “F” for its
lobbyist disclosure system, citing several failures.
“It doesn't require what we call the keys to strong disclosure,”
said Executive Director James Browning. “Lobbyists don’t have to
disclose the numbers of the bills they’re working on or the
positions they are taking, or the compensation they are
receiving from each of their clients.”
The report card also notes a “dangerous disconnect” between the
frequency with which Illinois lobbyists file activity reports
and the lack of meaningful information that these reports
contain.
In Illinois, the F Minus list identifies dozens of clients at
some of the state’s most prominent lobbying firms, including the
city of Chicago sharing a lobbyist with BP America, and the
University of Illinois sharing Fulcrum Government Strategies
with five fossil fuel companies, despite having moved to divest
its endowment from fossil fuels.
“Illinois needs to require disclosure of all lobbying
expenditures, particularly in the wake of the most recent string
of bribery cases against and involving lawmakers,” said
Elizabeth Grossman, executive director of Common Cause Illinois.
Currently there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how
much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other
special interest organizations. That would change under a bill
that is stalled in the Illinois House. House Bill 4591 would
require lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by each of
their clients.
Illinois lobbyists are currently in the news tied to the
corruption trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan. On May
2, 2023, an Illinois jury convicted former state lawmaker and
lobbyist Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore,
former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and former contract lobbyist
Jay Doherty. The case involved a conspiracy to bribe Madigan
with $1.3 million in no-show jobs, contracts and payments to
associates in exchange for support with legislation that would
benefit the utility's bottom line. |
|
