Gov. Quinn pushes 'fundamental campaign finance reforms' to Illinois Reform Commission as better-funded Madigan watches

The group tasked with rooting out the causes of corruption in Illinois government had some important visitors on Thursday, including the man who gave them their charge.

Gov. Pat Quinn came before the Illinois Reform Commission, meeting in Chicago’s Loop, and called for an end to the party primary system in the state, moving the primary from February to September or June, using public money to pay for candidates’ campaigns and limiting the amount of money candidates can receive.

“We have to understand this is a moment in history to enact fundamental campaign finance reforms,” Quinn said. He went further, however, than the group’s recommendations to phase in the reforms over several election cycles, saying the restrictions should take effect across the board next year and also apply to existing campaign funds rather than only to new ones.

The position could be seen as an expedient one from someone who reported just $83,512 in his campaign bank account as of Dec. 31, the most recent filing.  

In contrast, a potential rival for the governor’s seat, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who also addressed the commission Thursday, reported $3.4 million in her campaign account as of Dec. 31.

Another speaker Thursday, DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett, who has run for statewide office twice and who winked affably at Quinn as the governor prepared to speak on Thursday, reported $44,676 in his fund.   

Quinn also urged the group to look into ways to strengthen and increase awareness of the state’s so-called whistleblower law, with the goal of encouraging people to report evidence of corruption and official malfeasance.

“I think it’s a very, very valuable tool to use to ferret out waste and fraud and corruption in our government wherever it might lurk. And I think it’s particularly important that the public and the public employees know about this law.”

Under the law, enacted in 1991, a person who reports evidence of corruption that results in the state recovering money receives a portion of that money.  

“If somebody sees something wrong and they know how to report it,” Quinn said, “I think it’ll help save taxpayers money.”

On the reform panel’s recommendations that candidates be restricted in how much and from whom money can be raised, the governor said, “I do support limits and I’m very happy to see your recommendations include that.”  

But Quinn said he realizes it will take more than suggestion from the panel.

“It’s going to be a battle,” he said. “I think we have a lot of work ahead of us between now and May 31” – when the legislature is schedule to adjourn – “and I would hope on May 32nd we’re happy with the results.”

And if inventing a new day on the calendar weren’t enough, Quinn also used his time before the panel to physically sign an executive order mandating all state boards and commissions to publish vital information about their missions, membership and functions online, as a way to help end what Quinn termed public ignorance about the vital work the bodies perform.

He cited the fact that several have been ensnared in the allegations of corruption under Gov. Rod Blagojevich as one of the needs for the increased awareness.

Another Quinn recommendation to the panel – moving the primary date closer to the general election – would, he said, end the continuous cycle of political fundraising and give officials a time to govern instead of feeling pressure to raise money to run for office.  

He also urged the panel to consider a system of financing elections similar to that enacted in Connecticut in 2005, through which non-taxpayer money is set aside to pay for political campaigns.  

Connecticut uses money from the sale of abandoned property and other non-taxpayer sources to fund its voluntary program. About 80 percent of legislative and statewide candidates participated last year, the first election for which the program was in effect.  

Quinn said money recovered through whistleblower efforts could be earmarked for this purpose.

“I see that as a source,” he said.

Quinn also urged adoption of an open primary system, such as the one used in Wisconsin, rather than the Illinois system of requiring voters to publicly declare which party ballot they want.  

This has long been used as a means to track party loyalty in patronage hiring.  

Quinn said, “Many voters are afraid of this. They’re intimidated from participating in government. They don’t think [how they vote] anybody’s business but their own.”