Dupage Policy Journal

Represent Us DuPage County member Donna Limper is urging Illinois residents to turn up the heat on Gov. J.B. Pritzker when it comes to ethics reform.

“Gov. Pritzker has yet to sign ethics omnibus bill 539,” Limper posted on Facebook. “Ask him to use his amendatory veto to urge the General Assembly to grant the Legislative Inspector General (LIG) full independence to issue subpoenas, and publish found reports without the advance approval of the Legislative Ethics Commission.”

Former judge and prosecutor Carol Pope recently announced plans to resign from her post as LIG on the grounds she doesn’t find ethics reform to be a priority in Springfield.

“The LIG has no real power to effect change or shine a light on ethics violations; the position is essentially a paper tiger.” she said in her resignation letter.

Pope said she finds the ethics reform bill that now sits on Gov. Pritzker’s desk to actually be counterproductive to what needs to happen “by requiring the filing of a complaint before the LIG can undertake an investigation.”

Senate Bill 539 would also prohibit the LIG from launching an investigation based solely on public allegations raised in the news media.

“The General Assembly should adopt all recommendations made by former Legislative Inspectors General to foster real reform in Illinois,” Limper said. “The sheer number of recent corruption scandals – many of which were abuses of laws already on books – indicates the need for greater anti-corruption enforcement as a first priority.”

Pope said she plans to formally walk away in December, adding she’s convinced for the LIG post to have any teeth the position needs more independence, including bylaws that allow the LIG to have the power to issue subpoenas and reports without first being required to get the approval of the Legislative Ethics Commission.

While Pope told The State Journal-Register she holds out hope the General Assembly will be able to find a quality replacement for her, she adds, “but I think it will be difficult to find someone of high integrity to take the job because of the limitations in the statute.”