Pritzker promises lobbying reforms as ‘small start’ to end corrupt ‘old way of doing politics’

Vowing to help lift the cloud of pay-to-play politics over Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday told Cook County Democrats that he plans to return to Springfield next week to help craft legislation that would shed more light on lobbyists as the first in “a series of ethics reforms that are frankly long overdue.”

Expressing his anger over corruption has become a recurring theme for the rookie governor as a sprawling federal investigation ensnares state legislators, aldermen and county officials. After general vows to help “root” out illegal activity, Pritzker on Tuesday pledged to take the first step in next week’s fall veto session.

“I am furious watching public officials — some from our own party — betray the public trust,” the governor said, according to prepared remarks. “I am disgusted that some people in politics seem to think that the old way of doing politics is the right way of doing politics.”

Pritzker spoke at a Cook County Democratic Party dinner at the Hilton Chicago hotel, where he accepted a “Party Leadership Award,” thanked committeeman for helping him get elected, touted his accomplishments and hinted at the first steps in ethics reforms that he plans to take in Springfield.

“We are going to start with greater disclosure of lobbying efforts so that elected officials and voters will have a better look at all of the interests working to influence legislation,” the governor said in his prepared speech. “It’s a small start but an important one and my hope is that it will begin the bipartisan, bicameral work needed to construct and pass more comprehensive ethics legislation in the 2020 legislative session.”

Pritzker did not elaborate about his ethics proposal. And the governor’s office declined to provide any additional details.

“As a first step on much-needed ethics reform, Governor Pritzker is committed to passing legislation in next week’s veto session to shine a brighter light on lobbyist activity so there is far more transparency for the public,” Emily Bittner, the governor’s deputy chief of staff for communications, said in a statement. “He also believes that there must be more broad, comprehensive ethics reforms in the next legislative session, and he plans to work with stakeholders on meaningful reforms.”

Pritzker has increasingly ramped up his rhetorical outrage as the federal investigations dominate the headlines.

Former state Rep. Luis Arroyo is the latest member of the party to come under federal scrutiny. The allegations against the 65-year-old Northwest Side Democrat revolve around his lobbying work in Chicago as manager of Spartacus 3 LLC.

Santiago Covarrubias/For the Sun-Times

Federal authorities accuse Arroyo of passing a $2,500 bribe to a state senator to move sweepstakes gaming legislation forward in Springfield. He joins Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th), who has been charged with racketeering and bribery in a 59-page federal indictment, and state Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park), who faces ghost-payrolling accusations for allegedly collecting $188,320 in salary and other compensation from the Teamsters while doing little or no work for the labor union.

State Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago), former Ald. Danny Solis (25th) and Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski are among the growing list of other politicians who have been linked to the probe but have not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Pritzker’s choice of an audience to first hear of his ethics push is laced with strands of irony.

Rich Hein/Sun-Times

Cook County Democrats have struggled to deal with the growing stain of corruption themselves. Arroyo, Burke and Solis are all Democratic ward committeemen.

Party leaders sent Arroyo and Burke letters this week asking them to relinquish their party posts in the face of the criminal charges.

Pritzker has repeatedly said he’s “angry” over the spate of federal investigations into elected officials — despite WBEZ reporting earlier this year that Pritzker, his wife and brother-in-law are themselves under federal investigation for a more than $330,000 property tax break Pritzker received on one of his Gold Coast mansions.