In the News

Decatur Herald & Review, July 25, 2006

A bill that would shed more light on corruption charges within Illinois state government didn't go very far this spring.

But the good news is that it may get a boost when the General Assembly meets in November.

Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Lake Forest, has proposed a bill that would eliminate the veil of secrecy from certain corruption investigations. Garrett sponsored the legislation that created the Executive Inspector General's office. That office's purpose is to investigate corruption within state agencies.

This also is the office that has subpoenaed records from Richland Community College and its auditing firm. Richland has opposed the subpoenas, arguing that community colleges are not state agencies. A court hearing on that issue is set for Aug. 4.

As the inspector general law is currently written, corruption investigations are largely a big secret. Many of the reports created by the inspector general's office remain secret, by law.

Garrett doesn't think that makes much sense. "Clearly, when there is a problem and it's been verified, it should be made public. This is common sense at this point."

It's easy to agree that when the inspector general finds corruption at a state agency, those results should be public. It stands to reason that voters and taxpayers should know which agencies and state officials aren't following the rules.

But it also makes sense to open up the records when the investigation doesn't find any corruption. It's the best way for taxpayers and voters to trust the system. It's also the best way to remove any charges of politics against the inspector general's office.

Garrett's bill didn't get much notice this spring, but it appears on track for the November session. That change in status is primarily due to renewed interest in the bill by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose office is subject to a federal investigation into allegedly corrupt hiring practices.

Corruption is a big issue in the gubernatorial race between Blagojevich and Judy Baar Topinka. Blagojevich recently said he would consider making changes to the ethics law to supply the public with more details.

Of course, a lot can happen between now and November, including the Nov. 7 election. We hope both candidates' interest in election reform extends beyond Election Day.

One of the ways Illinois lawmakers can begin to restore the public's faith in its government is by being more open in the way the government does its business. We can't think of a better place to start than at an office charged with eliminating corruption in state government.