The Illinois Senate overwhelmingly approved an expansive ethics bill today. The plan, backed by Governor Rod Blagojevich, bans state contractors from contributing to any state officeholders. It also prohibits legislators from having another public sector job. State Senator Mike Jacobs says Blagojevich is punishing lawmakers when the governor has his own ethics problems.
JACOBS: I’m not aware of any legislator for many, many years that has been charged with anything. The problem in Illinois, the cancer in Illinois, is the governor.
The legislation will now go to the House to consider. The move comes one day after the Senate voted to override the governor’s changes to a separate ethics bill.