Bipartisan anti-corruption bill bottled up in Illinois Senate

By Austin Berg

11/27/2018

After unanimous approval from the Illinois House of Representatives, the Illinois Senate has remained conspicuously silent on a bill meant to address one man’s dominance of a little-known network of government authorities.

TAGS: Andrew Hamilton, Bruce Rauner, corruption, good government, Illinois Senate

New proposal would free General Assembly watchdog to pursue investigations without lawmaker approval

By Vincent Caruso

12/15/2017

A bureaucratic barrier that stifles investigations into lawmakers’ ethical violations would be nixed under a newly proposed law.

TAGS: Christina Castro, corruption, good government, Legislative Ethics Commission, Legislative Inspector General

Corruption watchdog: Markham mayor approved his own pay raise

By Brendan Bakala

12/13/2017

A new report alleges Markham Mayor Pro Tem Ernest Blevins illegally hiked his own salary.

TAGS: corruption, good government

Former Illinois lawmakers powered by energy interests

By Austin Berg

08/17/2017

No Americans trust their state government less than Illinoisans.

TAGS: corruption, Ed Burke, good government, lobbying, Mike Madigan

Mautino pleads the Fifth in campaign finance case

By Greg Bishop

04/20/2017

The gas the Mautino campaign claims to have purchased over 16 years would equate to more than 35,000 miles every year. The circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles.

TAGS: campaign finance, corruption, Frank Mautino, good government, transparency

2016 Corruption Watch: Chicago, East St. Louis take top corruption spots

By Mindy Ruckman

12/29/2016

This year was full of corruption and mismanagement from public officials, but four instances in particular stand out.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, East St. Louis, good government

7 public officials arrested in Metro East area on corruption charges

By Mindy Ruckman

12/07/2016

Corruption from several public officials in Metro East underscores the need for more government transparency in the area.

TAGS: corruption, good government, transparency

Local corruption hits Chicago, suburbs and downstate communities

By Mindy Ruckman

12/04/2016

November was a sad reminder of the corruption at various levels of Illinois government from retired House Speaker Denny Hastert to the small Village of Bellwood.

TAGS: corruption, good government

Corruption Watch

By Mindy Ruckman

11/03/2016

October’s headlines featured backroom deals and financial mismanagement, all at taxpayers’ expense.

TAGS: corruption, good government

Chicago politicians angry over losing World Series ticket perk

By Joe Kaiser

10/26/2016

A new ethics ruling prohibits aldermen from getting World Series tickets at face value — a perk not afforded to most of the public.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago Cubs, good government

Bureaucrats over classrooms: Illinois wastes millions of education dollars on unnecessary layers of administration

Illinoisans pay large sums for public education, yet a large portion of the money goes to Illinois’ bloated school district bureaucracy that diverts resources away from the classroom. Through smart, strategic reforms, Illinoisans can better prepare their youth for the future as well as provide property tax relief.

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Bureaucrats over classrooms: Illinois wastes millions of education dollars on unnecessary layers of administration

Report Archive

Al Lashbrook

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students