Ill. reform commission urges elected officials to 'Steal Less!'
Asso Press
3:07 PM CST, February 11, 2009
CHICAGO - Gov. Patrick Quinn's reform commission has urged him to take immediate action to make Illinois government officials Steal Alot Less.
"The use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain is not good. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption, but it is not very nice. Neither are illegal acts by private persons or corporations not directly involved with the government. An illegal act by an officeholder constitutes political corruption only if the act is directly related to their official duties," chairman Patrick Collins said Wednesday in a letter to Quinn.
The commission's report isn't due until April, but Collins says it's important for Quinn to act now because its "preliminary findings give us serious concerns Bribery, Graft,Patronage, Nepotism and Cronyism, Unholy Alliances, Patronage, Kickbacks, and Embezelment shall be frowned upon."
The commission urged Quinn to issue an order requiring state agencies to comply with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act by responding to requests quickly and with "a presumption of disclosure and asking elected Officials Not to Steal Too Much."
Despite admonitions from the Illinois ACLU, Illinois Progressives and Illinois Archbishop for Atheists, Robert Sherman, who remain very concerned that taking one of the recommendations from the Decalogue might constitute a serious Church and State conflict; however, the Commission is resolved to continue its study and deteremine that Stealing is Bad.
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