Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s alleged “corruption crime spree”, which landed him in jail on Tuesday morning, is a new low in the culture of corruption that has come to define Illinois politics.
Gov. Blagojevich should resign. Illinois cannot function with a governor who has lost the trust and confidence of the public. If he refuses, the General Assembly should act immediately to strip him of any authority to appoint our next U.S. Senator.
Of course that’s not enough.
Reform-minded organizations and lawmakers have taken steps in the past to help change that culture. In fact, part of the governor’s pay-to-play schemes were triggered because of a new Illinois PIRG-backed ethics law that is set to go into effect at the end of the year.
While continued policies that strengthen ethics in government are important, tough limits on campaign contributions are the most direct way for the General Assembly to end the grip that money and greed hold on Illinois politics. In addition, Illinois PIRG is calling on lawmakers to truly change the culture of corruption in Illinois by banning direct contributions from corporations and unions and prohibiting large transfers of campaign cash by legislative leaders to candidates.
