From the Desk of Adam Andrzejewski, IR received a response to questions raised Tuesday by the Plummer campaign -
As citizens during a primary season, all of us have an obligation to help our candidates run on the most robust reform policies. During my campaign for governor of Illinois in 2010, I ran on a platform of vigorous reform. A signature plank of my platform was the posting of income tax returns- it is gold standard policy.
I posted my tax returns, and still have them online, click. Newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times devoted a half page to the analysis. The release proved that I had not received untoward contracts, income or financial privileges from government or favor from the Illinois political class.
Yesterday, I traveled to the Metro East and Southern Illinois on the kind invitation of a congressional candidate as he demonstrated local leadership on this transformational ethics policy. The press conference discussed the history, importance and impact of how gold-standard ethics can clean up a culture of corruption. I endorsed and heartily applauded the policy decisions, but have a hard policy of not endorsing candidates in federal races. We don’t have a federal PAC.
During that press conference I re-issued my two-year-old statewide call for the leadership of both parties and the legislative leadership in Springfield to post their income tax returns and prove they are not trading on the power of their positions. For instance, many have good reason to suspect that House Speaker Michael Madigan’s private business interests are comingled very closely to his vast political empire. If you are Chairman of the Republican Party, Pat Brady wouldn’t you post your income tax returns and call on Madigan to follow suit, or resign?
It’s a sure winner at the ballot box and it’s the right policy. The citizens are demanding bold leadership.
Illinois ethics disclosures are very weak and rarely enforced. We saw evidence of this a couple of days ago when Roger Eddy (R-Hutsonville) failed to disclose his double dipping from 2006-2011 on the mandated Statement of Economic Interest. In 2004 & 2005, Eddy filed out the forms properly but since then has written “None” on the public employment question #7, click here to review.
Illinois has an acute need for bold, independent leadership on the most robust policies- both on the state and federal levels. According to the endorsement letter of former Gov. Jim Edgar, Roger Eddy is the House Republican Floor Leader.
In the last election cycle, Congressman and US Senate candidate Mark Kirk recognized the importance of ethics in his federal race. Kirk posted ten years of personal income tax returns and called on Alexi Giannoulias to do the same. It’s good policy.
So, let’s be crystal clear… I call on the entire Republican Party leadership, Congressional delegation and all candidates running for legislative or Congressional seats- post your income tax returns.
