BGA Watchdog Report
Your Monthly Resource for Better Government Association News, Investigations and Research
March 2006
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Dear Heidi,

Welcome to the March issue of BGA Watchdog Report, the Better Government Association's monthly electronic news brief.

Deal Linked to I-Pass Raises Questions

 
A Chicago company's state contract to distribute the tollway's I-Pass transponders has increased substantially over the past three years as the company's owners donated tens of thousands of dollars to Governor Rod Blagojevich's campaign.

 
Chicago City Clerk Laski Resigns amid Hired Truck Indictment

 
Chicago City Clerk James Laski steps down less than a month after he was indicted on three counts of bribery and one count of obstruction of justice. Each of those charges carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

 
Lobbyist working as representative for Governor spurs concern

 
The face of Gov. Blagojevich's re-election effort maintains an active lobbying practice in Springfield that has netted him $120,000 in consulting fees from a firm responsible for $1 billion in bond deals by the administration.

 
Even while acting as the lead spokesman for Blagojevich's campaign, Doug Scofield runs a lobbying firm with clients including the cable television industry, a power company and a large public- employee union that together have donated more than $700,000 to the governor's political fund since 2003.

 
Salaries and number of aldermen among highest in nation

 
The Columbia Chronicle revealed the Chicago City Council spends more than $5 million dollars each year on aldermen salaries, making the 50 positions some of the highest paid per capita.
Ethics Battle on Cook County Board Between Stroger and Claypool

 
In a scene straight out of a political playbook, two nearly identical amendments showed up on this week's Cook County Board meeting agenda.The similarities? Both amendments are aimed at prohibiting employees of the county's ethics board, inspector general's office and auditor's office from contributing to county political campaigns.The differences? The sponsors
Civic organizations urge early voting, election authorities to monitor procedures

 
The League of Women Voters of Illinois, Better Government Association, and the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform encourage Illinois voters to take advantage of the new early voting system debuting for the upcoming primary election. The groups also call on election authorities and law enforcement to closely monitor early voting to ensure this new approach works fairly for all Illinois voters.
Judge lets charges stand against top Daley aides

 
A federal judge on Wednesday turned a routine court ruling into a stinging lecture about the costs of public corruption, boosting prosecutors' "frontal assault on political patronage as it has been practiced in the city of Chicago."

 
U.S. District Judge David Coar disappointed four former top aides to Mayor Richard Daley who had asked the judge to dismiss felony charges that they rigged the city's hiring process to give public jobs to campaign workers.
 
Look for your next issue of the BGA Watchdog Report on April 1st!

 

 
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