On January 12, the Illinois legislature held a hearing and vote on an 87-page ethics bill in the middle of the night at the end of a lame duck session. This bill was introduced in the final hours of the…
Read MoreTed Cox of One Illinois spoke with Executive Director Alisa Kaplan to explore what Reform for Illinois accomplished in 2020, review the November election, and look ahead to RFI’s reform goals for 2021 and beyond. Read the interview here.
Read MoreSince the November elections, Reform for Illinois has been working with Promote the Vote, a coalition of civic organizations, to discuss the steps that must be taken to ensure that citizens can safely cast their vote in the upcoming elections…
Read MoreIllinois is no stranger to political corruption, but with the scandals of 2020, have the people finally had enough? Executive Director Alisa Kaplan spoke with Law360 about the events of the past year and the opportunities for change in 2021….
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While a few local races remain uncalled and officials continue working to ensure that every vote is counted, this year’s election results have taken shape. Here are four key takeaways from this year’s contests. 1. Kenneth Griffin won big. Kenneth…
Read MoreWith Election Day finally here, RFI Policy Analyst Isaac Wink spoke with The Center Square about the historic level of spending for and against the graduated income tax as well as the huge disparity in financial support that Speaker Madigan…
Read MoreA.D. Quig of Crain’s Chicago Business analyzed the biggest contributors to this year’s Illlinois contests and where that money has gone. RFI Executive Director Alisa Kaplan provided perspective on the spending by House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President Don Harmon…
Read MoreCole Lauterbach of The Center Square spoke covered RFI’s recent report on the Illinois self-funding loophole by RFI Policy Analyst Isaac Wink and Executive Director Alisa Kaplan. Lauterbach spoke with Kaplan about how the self-funding provision, which was intended to level the…
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One year after Governor Rod Blagojevich’s 2008 arrest on corruption charges, the Illinois General Assembly responded to calls for reform by establishing the state’s first campaign contribution limits. The law contained a caveat unique to Illinois: in any race with a so-called…
Read MoreA new branding campaign for Chicago will showcase Mayor Lori Lightfoot to draw in more visitors. While it’s common for cities to incorporate local political figures into their advertisements, can it cross a line into political advertising on the city’s dime? Reform for…
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