Springfield News
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Lobbyists who are paid to press their case in Springfield or to urge Cook County and Chicago leaders to vote their way are required to register — but hundreds of others are free to lobby with little to no oversight, without ever having to record their activities or even officially acknowledge they lobbied at all.
Members of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform on Wednesday heard from advocates and experts about all matters lobbying, including whether state law should require that activity to be tracked and regulated.
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Ahead of a second meeting Wednesday of the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform — a body charged with identifying potential changes to ethical guidelines and laws governing lawmakers and lobbyists — Gov. JB Pritzker warned of a “gathering storm” for those who created and contribute to “a culture that has been poisonous in Springfield for far too long.”
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The state’s beleaguered Department of Children and Family Services has been a problem area for many governors prior to Gov. JB Pritzker, who marks one year in office on Tuesday. But Pritzker’s first year in office has been marked by several tragedies, including several high-profile child deaths even after the agency had been in prior contact with the family.
Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith addresses reporters. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
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With the March 17 primary election less than 10 weeks away, the Illinois State Board of Elections on Thursday made final rulings in two dozen petition signature challenges, permanently kicking some legislative and congressional candidates off the ballot, while allowing other candidates to move forward.
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The Illinois State Board of Elections on Thursday issued the largest-ever fine for violations of campaign finance law, citing the former East St. Louis’ mayor’s failure to file campaign finance reports for periods as long as seven years as “egregious” and “beyond gross negligence.”
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Following weeks of back-and-forth among members of a Property Tax Relief Tax Force charged with finding solutions to burdensome property tax costs across Illinois, Republicans on Wednesday blasted Democrats for blowing deadlines and ultimately trading their votes for a constitutional amendment for a graduated income tax in exchange for a “woeful failure” of a task force.
State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) admonishes Democrats who served with her on the Property Tax Task Force in the summer and fall, alleging they ignored all Republican ideas. [Hannah Meisel/The Daily Line]
