SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmakers sent Gov. Pat Quinn the state’s first-ever cap on campaign contributions, while a proposal to “fumigate” top appointees of the last two disgraced governors stalled Sunday night.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmakers sent Gov. Pat Quinn the state’s first-ever cap on campaign contributions, while a proposal to "fumigate" top appointees of the last two disgraced governors stalled Sunday night. The House voted 64-46 to limit the amount of money donors may give to political candidates. Quinn supports the measure, meaning that nearly four decades after the Watergate scandal, Illinois would put its first check on individual campaign contributions. While supporters acknowledged it as a compromise, critics excoriated the plan, saying it’s almost no reform at all. "’Better than nothing’ doesn’t sit very well with the voters at home," said Rep. Kathleen Ryg, a Vernon Hills Democrat. In the final scheduled day of a Legislature bent on reform after the federal corruption arrest and indictment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Senate also approved dumping the way pay raises are determined for legislators. But a plan by House Speaker Michael Madigan to force fellow Democrat Quinn to get rid of about 750 state government workers appointed by Blagojevich and his predecessor former Gov. George Ryan — who is serving jail time — was buffeted by criticism in the Senate before its sponsor pulled it out of consideration. Madigan also shepherded the contribution cap in the House. It limits individuals to contributing $5,000 to a political candidate annually, with $10,000 the maximum for a corporation or association. But it also allows political parties or interest groups to hand over $90,000 to each candidate annually. And parties could still provide unlimited "in-kind" services — political mailings, computers or door-knocking workers — to their favored hopefuls. "That’s a hole big enough to drive an armored bank truck on steroids through," said Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville. But Madigan, who has spent 38 years in the House, and Senate President John Cullerton are sensitive to an outsider’s ability to raise money. Cullerton ran a losing 1994 race against then-U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski shortly before the powerhouse congressman was indicted and jailed for corruption. Madigan said challengers for federal office, where individuals are limited to $2,400 contributions for each election, "spend their entire day trying to raise money." "Let’s take a first step, let’s impose caps, but let’s acknowledge that the lower the cap just advantages the incumbents, so I would suggest that the caps contained in this bill are reasonable," Madigan said. On a 53-5 vote, the Senate approved dumping the independent board that determines pay raises for legislators. Its recommendations automatically took effect unless both houses of the General Assembly voted "no." If Quinn approves, pay raises now would require legislation and an "aye" vote, although cost-of-living increases, frozen in the coming year, would resume in 2011. The bill also requires four unpaid days off for legislators, just like Quinn has asked of state workers to help close an $11.6 billion budget deficit. But the so-called "fumigation" bill was having a rough go of it before Cullerton stopped debate and called off his request for a vote. He said the Senate had other business to take care of and would call the bill again if time allowed. Approved by the House, the idea was to force Quinn to fire high-level Ryan and Blagojevich appointees or they would automatically lose their jobs in 90 days. Quinn would be able to retain them after reviewing their performance, however. But during debate Sunday, many senators were opposed, calling it a "power grab" of executive branch prerogative. "This is the height of perverted government in the guise of reform," Republican Sen. Dan Cronin of Elmhurst said. "Aren’t we ethical people trying to fumigate government when it’s really about gaining more power." The bills are HB7, SB2090 and SB1333. ______ AP Photo/Seth Perlman Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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