The Legislative Ethics Commission chair said last week that the commission will meet soon and discuss whether to recommend changes to state ethics laws during the upcoming veto session, which begins in about a month.
But the chair of the bipartisan commission, Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, told us he was against taking any action before a new General Assembly's swearing-in in January.
“I think it’d be a mistake to make changes during veto without a full vetting of proposals by members of the GA during a regular session cycle,” Keicher said, adding, “I think it’s especially unseemly to have the current GA, where these problems originated, to make the rules for future GA members. Doubly so, if it was quick-paced through during veto session or lame duck [session in early January].”
“We learned multiple times over the recent circumstances the pitfalls of not publicly vetting ethics guidelines and rules,” Keicher said.
Keicher also said that when legislative recommendations are submitted, they will be “process-based suggestions” designed specifically to address what has happened over the years to the legislative inspector general’s much-maligned investigatory processes.
As you know, the previous inspector general was criticized for his alleged insensitivity to sexual harassment victims. The process itself has been criticized for being too much like the old Star Chamber, an English court of law, which intimidated victims and potential witnesses. The inspector general was also criticized for revealing information that should’ve been kept secret.
Changes outside of the ethics commission’s role will be avoided, Keicher predicted of the commission’s eventual recommendations.
“I’d like to maintain a separation of what duties the GA charges LEC with versus LEC as a body trying to define ethical standards changes. It’s the GA as a whole’s prerogative on scope, not the LEC.”
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has appointed a working group of Democrats which is supposed to be coming up with its own plan. But the group is operating in secret (other than statements from appointees who either declined to participate or stepped down), and current members are not responding to any of our calls, emails and text messages.
We’re not alone. When asked if any members of the working group had reached out to him or the Legislative Ethics Commission, Keicher said “Not a single one.”
But some changes are already being made by the new interim inspector general, who appears to be a no-nonsense type.
“Don’t expect me to be a chatty inspector general,” acting Legislative Inspector General David Risley says in a video outlining his plans for the office, according to my colleague Isabel Miller.
Risley’s predecessor, Michael McCuskey, agreed to resign by the end of September. McCuskey publicly discussed a complaint during a radio interview involving indicted Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, and dismissed a lobbyist’s concerns about errors in his Harry Benton report as “small things.”
Risley, a former federal prosecutor, said he’ll accept reporters’ questions in writing, but won’t discuss investigations beyond the public record, adding, “I’ll be happy to meet with reporters for off-the-record background briefings to talk about the role and statutory framework in which the LIG operates, but I won’t answer questions about investigations beyond what is public record.”
Risley's top priority, he said, is making the office “a safe place for victims of sexual harassment, including keeping confidential information confidential.”
He’s also promising changes to how the office handles complaints.
For starters, Isabel reported, the office has just one investigator. Risley wants more, both in Chicago and downstate, including at least one with expertise in investigating sexual harassment complaints.
Complainants can bring “an attorney, a friend or other support person,” Risley said. He wants two investigators conducting each interview, with recordings and transcripts made with consent. Those reporting sexual harassment will also be informed of their statutory rights.
Risley will serve until the General Assembly appoints a new inspector general. He said he intends “to move quickly to do as much as I can while I can.”
And he had a dire warning for those who are misbehaving: “Given our investigative backgrounds in the LIG office, we’ve successfully investigated a lot bigger fish than you,” Risley said about “those inclined to engage in sexual harassment."
"So, think about that, and act like a decent human being.”
Sounds like good advice to me.
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
