Illinois Capitol Building Senator Dan Kotowski, Illinois State Senate, Serving Residents of District 33 Senator Dan Kotowski [Photo]
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Thursday 4th of March 2010

“The highest priority in Springfield has to be putting people back to work,” Kotowski said.

Thursday 25th of February 2010

“We can no longer tolerate state agencies that waste valuable time and resources. The state must run itself as much like a business as possible—producing the best possible outcomes at the lowest possible cost.”

Thursday 18th of February 2010

State Senator Dan Kotowski is sponsoring legislation that would create stiff new penalties for public corruption.

Tuesday 1st of December 2009

PARK RIDGE - State Senator Dan Kotowski (D-Park Ridge) was extremely pleased to see the Cook County Board once again take up the issue of sales tax relief...

KOTOWSKI'S ANTI-CORRUPTION LEGISLATION PASSES ILLINOIS SENATE

Friday 22nd of May 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 22, 2009


FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ian Watts 217.782.0591

KOTOWSKI'S ANTI-CORRUPTION LEGISLATION PASSES ILLINOIS SENATE

SPRINGFIELD-State Sen. Dan Kotowski's (D-Park Ridge) legislation to impose stiffer penalties on elected officials who have been convicted of corruption has passed the Illinois State Senate.

Senate Bill 1013 creates the Public Corruption Profit Forfeiture Act.

This act targets elected officials who have achieved financial gain from corruption or graft. After being convicted of bribery, kickbacks, or extortion (or as it is known in Illinois law, "intimidation by a public official"), the criminal must turn over all the profits resulting from their corruption to the state. They also must forfeit any and all campaign funds.

"The felonies targeted by this act represent the range of corruption crimes that generate money for the perpetrator," Kotowski said. "We need to say, as a state, that no elected official will ever again benefit from corruption. We have one governor, George Ryan, serving a sentence in a federal penitentiary for corruption. We have another, Rod Blagojevich, who is currently under indictment. I don't want to see a third governor indicted in my lifetime or the lifetimes of my children. I believe this legislation will help prevent further acts of corruption by any official, whether a governor or a mayor."

The proposed bill is the first of its kind in the United States. It is based on the Narcotics Profit Forfeiture Act, which has withstood numerous legal challenges. The only major difference is the addition of campaign funds.

"This bill allows law enforcement to go after the tainted money and property acquired through political corruption," Kotowski said. "It gives prosecutors the tools to attack pay-to-play by going after the campaign funds of those who violate the public trust. Politicians shouldn't be able to buy votes with money generated by bribery or corruption."

Senate Bill 1013 has passed the full Senate and now awaits consideration in the House.

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