ILLINOIS CRIME INVESTIGATING COMMISSION RE CHARGES OF CORRUPTION IN THE ILLLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

• NCJ Number: 65153
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1965
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Illinois Crime Investigating Cmssn
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CONCLUSIONS OF THE MAJORITY REPORT OF THE ILLINOIS CRIME INVESTIGATING COMMISSION CONCERNING ACTS OF ALLEGED MISCONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ARE GIVEN.

Abstract

THE REPORT DESCRIBES THE ORIGIN OF THE INVESTIGATION BASED ON CHARGES MADE IN A 1964 ARTICLE ENTITLED 'THE ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE: A STUDY IN CORRUPTION.' INVESTIGATION HANDICAPS INCLUDED PUBLICITY, BROAD AND INDEFINITE CHARGES, AND THE PROBLEM OF OBJECTIVITY WHEN THE COMMISSION'S EIGHT-MAN MAJORITY WAS MADE UP OF STATE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES. THE REPORT DESCRIBES THE SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION AND THE PARTICULAR LIMITS ON THE COMMISSION'S INVESTIGATIVE POWERS. OBSERVATIONS RESULTING FROM THE INVESTIGATION OF 70 MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS WERE THAT MANY OF THE ALLEGATIONS WERE VAGUE, BASED UPON HEARSAY OR RUMOR, OR DATING BACK IN SOME INSTANCES MORE THAN 15 YEARS; THAT EVEN THE CURRENT ALLEGATIONS WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE OR DISPROVE; THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS WERE UNWARRANTED AND WOULD BE GROSSLY UNFAIR; AND THAT COMMISSION MEMBERS WITH ANY PERSONAL INTEREST IN AN ALLEGATION HAD DISQUALIFIED THEMSELVES FROM CONSIDERATION. (ALLEGATIONS COVERED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND INSTANCES OF ALLEGED CORRUPTION INVOLVING PAST AND PRESENT ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, DISSATISFACTION WITH THE ORVILLE HODGE CASE INVESTIGATION, AND ALLEGATIONS OF RAMPANT CORRUPTION IN THE ASSEMBLY.) THE COMMISSION CONCLUDED THAT THE RESULTANT FACTS DID NOT SHOW ANY CLEAR VIOLATION OF EXISTING ILLINOIS CONFLICT OF INTEREST LAW BUT DID DISCLOSE SITUATIONS IN WHICH SOME ASSEMBLY MEMBERS HAD SUBSTANTIAL DIRECT OR INDIRECT FINANCIAL INTERESTS IN STATE-FUNDED CONTRACTS OR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES REGULATED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT. THE COMMISSION FURTHER CONCLUDED THAT ALLEGATIONS OF SPECIFIC ACTS OF WRONGDOING WERE BASED ON UNCORROBORATED HEARSAY AND THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE HANDLING OF THE ORIGINAL HODGE CASE INVESTIGATION IN 1956-57. IN ADDITION, THE BROAD ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION WERE DECLARED TO BE UNFOUNDED. (AOP)