KOTOWSKI'S ANTI-CORRUPTION LEGISLATION PASSES ILLINOIS SENATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 22, 2009

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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