A Host Of Former Lawmakers Now Registered To Be Springfield Lobbyists
From the Bloomington Pantagraph
It didn’t take long for the revolving door at the Capitol to start spinning at the end of the lame-duck session.
A day after he served his final day in office, former state Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican, registered to become a lobbyist.
Millner, who had been a member of the General Assembly for 10 years, has picked up two clients thus far — the cable TV industry and an ambulance service.
Millner is just the latest lawmaker to turn into a lobbyist virtually overnight. Records on file with the Illinois secretary of state show more than two dozen former legislators are trying to use their influence in the hallways and offices of the Capitol.
Illinois is among 15 states that have no revolving-door provisions for lawmakers, who can be negotiating legislation on behalf of their constituents on one day and then use that expertise to work for a deep-pocketed industry trade group the next.
Most states have imposed cooling off periods ranging from six months to two years.
In March, Democrats who control the General Assembly blocked legislation that would have imposed a year-long lobbying ban for lawmakers.
State Sen. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, had sought to impose the ban to ensure members of the General Assembly aren’t cashing in on their positions by taking lucrative lobbying gigs with organizations or companies.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Bloomington Pantagraph
It didn’t take long for the revolving door at the Capitol to start spinning at the end of the lame-duck session.
A day after he served his final day in office, former state Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican, registered to become a lobbyist.
Millner, who had been a member of the General Assembly for 10 years, has picked up two clients thus far — the cable TV industry and an ambulance service.
Millner is just the latest lawmaker to turn into a lobbyist virtually overnight. Records on file with the Illinois secretary of state show more than two dozen former legislators are trying to use their influence in the hallways and offices of the Capitol.
Illinois is among 15 states that have no revolving-door provisions for lawmakers, who can be negotiating legislation on behalf of their constituents on one day and then use that expertise to work for a deep-pocketed industry trade group the next.
Most states have imposed cooling off periods ranging from six months to two years.
In March, Democrats who control the General Assembly blocked legislation that would have imposed a year-long lobbying ban for lawmakers.
State Sen. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, had sought to impose the ban to ensure members of the General Assembly aren’t cashing in on their positions by taking lucrative lobbying gigs with organizations or companies.
Read more in our daily News Update...