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New Web site targets 'pay to play' politics

Posted October 22, 2007 11:00 pm

Dana Heupel

A new state Web site makes it easier for visitors to "connect the dots" to reveal state contractors who contributed to politicians' campaigns.

The site, at www.OpenBook.ioc.state.il.us, links contract information from Comptroller Dan Hynes' office to campaign contribution data from the State Board of Elections. It was created by Hynes' office.

"Track a state contract back far enough, and there's a good chance that a campaign contribution was made to the right person at the right time," Hynes said Tuesday at a Statehouse news conference.

Illinois has no law to prevent campaign contributors from acquiring or holding state contracts. That wide-open system has created an atmosphere that some have labeled "pay to play."

"We've got to find a way to eliminate 'pay to play' politics in Illinois," Hynes said.

"The only way we're going to do that, and then hopefully restore some confidence in government, is to make public officials more accountable for their actions."

Hynes expressed disappointment that the Illinois Senate has not voted on House Bill 1, sweeping ethics legislation he supports that would prohibit individuals who have contracts worth $25,000 or more from making political contributions.

"House Bill 1 has passed the Illinois House by a 116-0 margin. Then it went to the Senate, where it picked up 46 co-sponsors. And yet, the bill has not been called for a vote in the Senate," Hynes said.

"I find this unacceptable and extremely frustrating," he said.

Hynes said the "user friendly" Open Book Web site can help citizens "connect the dots" between campaign contributions and contracts.

"In the absence of a statutory ban on contributions from those who have state contracts, what we can do is create more transparency, more awareness, better information for watchdog groups, the media, citizens so that people know who's doing what," he said.

"Perhaps that information will create pressure to enact the right legislation that will prohibit it," Hynes said. "There is a shame element here" that could keep politicians from awarding contracts to contributors or seeking contributions from contractors.

Among those endorsing the project were Jay Stewart, executive director of the Better Government Association; David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform; and Kent Redfield, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield and director of the Sunshine Project.

"I was thrilled to hear about this Open Book project," Morrison said. "It's very elegant and very simple in the way that it works."

After several introductory screens, a viewer can see contract information on one side of the screen and campaign finance data on the other. The site enables the visitor to cross-reference the two databases using such criteria as contributors, candidates or contract holders.

"Open Book is going to shine a very bright light on the shadowy world of pay-to-play politics in state government," Morrison said.

Dana Heupel can be reached at (217) 788-1518 or dana.heupel@sj-r.com.

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