Commission OKs probe of tollway chief's 'revolving door' waiver

The state Ethics Commission will allow Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's staff to review former tollway chief Brian McPartlin's request for a waiver from the "revolving door" law to take a new job.

McPartlin's last day with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority was Oct. 24. He left the agency to accept a job with McDonough Associates Inc., an engineering and architectural firm that's received more than $30 million in contracts with the tollway.

Although the revolving door policy places restrictions on employees leaving their jobs to work for private sector companies that won contracts during their tenure, people can and frequently do receive waivers through the ethics commission.

Madigan has said the law should be followed and asked the commission for permission to intervene, which it granted Friday. Such a decision and the attorney general's involvement is unprecedented, commission officials said.

McPartlin's attorney Michael Hayes had no comment on the latest development. He previously has said Madigan has no authority to intervene but his client will cooperate fully.

The ethics commission has given the attorney general until Dec. 5 to come up with a report.