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Last updated 11:43 am CT September 02, 2010.
Reform Commission Recommends Campaign Finance Reform
The commission was created by Governor Pat Quinn and charged with creating a blueprint for cubing political corruption.
Sheila Simon of Carbondale is on the commission. She is a law professor at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and the daughter of the late Sen. Paul Simon.
Simon says news of Blagojevich's indictment reinforced her belief that political reform in Illinois should start with reforming campaign contributions. Alleged pay-to-play activities are responsible for landing the former governor in the national spotling.
The commission recommends capping campaign contributions from individuals at $2,400 dollars and 5-thousand dollars from committees. The limits are similar to the federal regulations. Right now Illinois doesn't have any campaign finance laws.
"If you want to contribute to a governor of Illinois [or] to someone who's running for city council in Carbondale, you can contribute millions of dollars if you want," Simon said.
The commission also calls for changing the way campaign contributions are reported. Currently campaign contributions are reported to the Illinois State Board of Elections every six months.
"You could go through a whole legislative session [and] give a whole lot of money to people who are voting on bills and that wouldn't turn up until later," Simon said.
The commission recommends that instead donations above $1000 for statewide elections and $500 for other elections a be reported to the board of elections within five business days of money changes hands.
Whether or not recommendations become reality is up to the General Assembly--which includes the people who benefit from campaign contributions--so some say the campaign for change could all boil down to politics.
"You'll have reform if [Sen. President] John Cullerton and [House Speaker] Mike Madigan decide that they want some," said Sen. David Luechtefeld, (R)-Okawville.
Luechtefeld said whether or not a campaign finance reform bill comes to a vote is up to those two powerful Democrats, but "I really believe that almost anything that comes to a vote will pass."
By Dana Jay
djay@wsiltv.com
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