The Illinois General Assembly busies itself with limiting balloon releases and regulating pitchfork fishing along highways when ethics reform is the need in a state with a rich history of corruption.

Illinois state representatives almost unanimously voted to stop legislative leaders from again building a 36-year dynasty like former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. The Illinois House passed a 10-year term limit on party leaders in both the Illinois House and Senate.

Putting the public’s business on public display can help Illinois reform its culture of corruption and control government waste. An Illinois House bill will put more local government records online.

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about bribes.

A former Illinois state senator was charged with federal income tax crimes. Her Senate financial disclosure statement shows why they are known as ‘none’ sheets. Reforms are needed.

A longtime political operative for Chicago Ald. Ed Burke and the late state Sen. Martin Sandoval was charged with lying to the FBI about bribes.

A Chicago-based marijuana company is facing a federal investigation into whether it bought influence to gain state licenses, sources told the Chicago Tribune. It hired four close associates of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.