Quinn pushes reform vote

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday urged Gov. Rod Blagojevich to help push through a campaign-reform bill to combat the state's reputation as a haven for "pay-to-play" politics -- the same day the governor was hosting his biggest fundraiser of the year.

Quinn wants Blagojevich to urge his ally, Senate President Emil Jones, to call a vote on a bill that would stop some contractors with state business from making campaign donations to officials awarding the work.

Quinn said something must be done now because contractors will want a piece of a proposed capital bill, which includes $13 billion in state money for construction projects.

"We can't have a healthy state unless we have a healthy government, and one way to have a healthy government is to enact the long-overdue reform of banning pay to play," Quinn said at a Chicago news conference.

Illinois doesn't limit campaign contributions and has no rules to stop donors from getting state contracts or jobs. Some politicians have voluntarily imposed their own limitations.

Quinn wants Jones to call a Senate vote on a bill that already has passed the House.

That bill would cover people and companies with more than $25,000 in state contracts and would bar them from giving contributions to the constitutional official, such as governor or secretary of state, responsible for awarding the work. Any person bidding on a contract worth more than $10,000 a year also would have to disclose past contributions.

Bidders also couldn't make campaign donations at all to key officials while awaiting a decision on a contract.

Jones' spokeswoman, Cindy Davidsmeyer, said the Senate president's office is working on an alternative bill that will be more "comprehensive" because it would deal with pension and procurement issues.

"It is a work in progress," she said.

Blagojevich favors imposing federal campaign-finance laws at the state level, spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said. Blagojevich doesn't accept donations from state employees.

The Blagojevich administration has been dogged by claims it favors campaign donors with state jobs and contracts, and federal investigators are looking at how the administration doles out jobs. Blagojevich has not been charged with a crime and has denied any wrongdoing.

The two-term Democrat is looking to add big bucks to his campaign chest with Thursday night's fundraiser that costs $1,000 for two tickets and up to $20,000 for a "co-chair." The campaign has said several hundred people are expected to attend.