Illinois ethics laws need teeth

Recently, Legislative Inspector General Tom Homer wrote members of the Illinois General Assembly urging action to put some teeth into the legislator ethics laws. Homer said that the current law suggests “merely ideals toward which legislators should strive” and that violations result in “no remedial action whatsoever.”

The Chicago Tribune picked up on this letter and published an article detailing his argument this week. After reading it, I couldn’t help but ask, what good is taking the time to spell out appropriate and inappropriate conduct when the rules cannot be enforced?

From legislators giving taxpayer-backed scholarships to family members to voting on bills that financially benefit them — enough is enough. There needs to be real accountability when evidence proves that a legislator comes in conflict with ethics requirements. When conflicts of interest come about, a legislator should simply not be voting on that given bill, instead we currently are left with the expectation that they self-police.

Illinois residents are sick and tired of elected officials betraying the public’s trust. It is easy to throw your hands in the air in defeat, but I remain hopeful that real change is possible.

Rep. Jack Franks has already committed to sponsoring legislation that incorporates Homer’s ideas. I have known Jack to be unrelenting in his fight to clean up state government and retire the good olé’ boy politics that have in entire state of Illinois. More legislators need to follow Jack’s lead and work with him to put the peoples’ interest before their own.

Rose Smith

Crystal Lake