A federal judge in Illinois signed a consent decree Tuesday scheduling a special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, who resigned last month amid ethics investigations.

Judicial approval was necessary to set the election date because Illinois election law conflicts with federal voting law.

A primary election will be held July 7 and the general election will follow on Sept. 10.

Rep. Aaron Schock is resigning his seat at the end of the month in the wake of a congressional ethics investigation and looming federal investigation. The ethics investigation will focus on his use of taxpayer money, including mileage reimbursements from a car paid for by his campaign account.

Federal prosecutors in Illinois will focus on the mileage reimbursements as well as travel paid for by donors and in-kind contributions never reported.

Gov. Bruce Rauner must set a special election date within five days of Schock’s resignation at the end of the month; the congressional seat must be filled within 120 days.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel failed to garner enough votes in Tuesday’s consolidated primary to avoid heading to a runoff election. Emanuel required more than 50 percent of the vote to win the election outright.

Although he finished first in the five candidate field with just over 45 percent of the vote, the city will now hold a runoff mayoral election for the first time in history.

The runoff is scheduled for April 7, and the mayor will face Cook County Commissioner Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.

Governor Bruce Rauner signed Executive Order 15-09 last week, tightening ethical requirements for all state employees. The order closes the revolving door for executive branch and state agency employees by prohibiting them from negotiating for a new position with a lobbyist or lobbying entity while still employed.

Similarly, a former employee may not accept a position as a paid lobbyist or with a lobbying entity for one year after leaving his or her paid position. Furthermore, state employees, their spouses, or immediate family members living therewith may not solicit or knowingly accept any gift from prohibited sources. The order also expands what state employees must disclose on their statements of economic interest.

The Illinois House of Representatives adjourned its two-year legislative session sine die on Wednesday, December 3.

Some state business will be left until Republican Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner and a new General Assembly take office in January. It is possible, however, for outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn to call a special session to force a vote on legislation increasing the minimum wage before he leaves office.

The Senate did not formally adjourn and will sit in session on January 13.

Photo of the Illinois Capitol Building by Daniel Schwen on Wikimedia Commons.

The campaign contribution limits have been lifted for candidates in the Chicago mayoral race. Under state law, the limits are lifted for all candidates in a local race once a candidate in said race exceeds $100,000 in contributions to his own campaign within a year of the election.

Conservative candidate William J. Kelly reached the $100,000 threshold on Monday. This is seemingly good news for Rahm Emanuel, who will now be able to go back to wealthy supporters to add to his campaign war chest.

Kelly argues lifting the caps does not help his opponent, however, as Emanuel already has all the money he needs. Kelly contends the playing field has been leveled as anti-Emanuel groups are now free to contribute to him as much as they want.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a new ordinance banning registered lobbyists from attempting to communicate with commissioners, for purposes of discussing any matter of county business, while the commissioners are present on the floor during public meetings.

The ordinance does not affect lobbying outside of county chambers or lobbying in the boardroom after a meeting is brought to a close.

Moreover, the new rule applies only to registered lobbyists, and makes no mention of those engaged in lobbying activity who are not yet registered with the county.

The Board of Ethics formally submitted its revised Rules & Regulations to the City Council on August 19. The rules govern board activities in conformation with the provisions of the Governmental Ethics Ordinance.

Unless the City Council, by majority vote, votes to disapprove them, the rules will become effective 45 days after submission.

On July 30, the Chicago City Council enacted amendments to the Governmental Ethics Ordinance, chapter 2-156 of the Municipal Code of Chicago.

Changes include granting the Board of Ethics authority to review campaign finance filings and to refer potential violations to the appropriate investigating authority. Pay-to-play provisions have also been amended, affecting vendors, lobbyists, and any other person seeking to do business with the city.

Penalties are currently imposed only on the candidate, official, or employee accepting a prohibited contribution. Under the revised ordinance, however, the penalty provisions will also apply to persons making such contributions.

The amendments take effect September 10.

In a statement released Tuesday, the Legislative Ethics Commission announced J. William Roberts has been named acting legislative inspector general.

Roberts is a former U.S. attorney and served as legal counsel to former Gov. Jim Edgar. He will take over for Tom Homer, who served 10 years following the creation of the position as part of the 2003 Ethics Act.

Roberts will be responsible for investigating complaints of rule violations, abuse of authority, and other forms of legislative misconduct.

Tom Homer stepped down from his post as legislative inspector general at the end of June. Homer, an advocate for modern ethics reform, took the job in 2004 and served as the state’s first and only legislative watchdog.

It is unclear who will replace him; the inspector general is appointed by a resolution approved by three-fifths majorities in both houses of the General Assembly.

Photo of Illinois State Capitol by Martin Haase on Wikimedia Commons.

The City of Chicago Board of Ethics recently released new ethics bulletins. Two revised brochures provide up-to-date guides for the public as well as for city employees and elected officials. Both include new provisions covering whistleblower protection and the duty of officials, employees, and city contractors to report corrupt or unlawful activity.

A third brochure is also available pertaining to outside employment for city employees.

All new or revised bulletins are available for public viewing on the Ethics Department website.

On March 21, the Chicago Board of Ethics posted a summary of its reverse revolving door ruling on the city’s website. The ruling comes from a case brought before the board for the purpose of reviewing the conduct of a department director.

Chicago’s reverse revolving door ordinance prohibits employees or officials from personally participating in a decision-making capacity as to their immediate pre-city employers or clients for a period of two years after joining the city.

The board ruled an employee involved in a procurement process for the city violated the reverse revolving door provision even though he consistently avoided extraneous contact with personnel from his pre-city employer and from its umbrella organization. Simply scoring RFP responses in addition to training or meeting with employees from a pre-city employer or affiliate in the ordinary course of employment constitutes a minor violation.

Contributions limits will likely remain in place for the entire 2014 election cycle as Illinois Liberty PAC v. Madigan carries on. In July 2012, the Liberty Justice Center filed suit against Attorney General Lisa Madigan, challenging the Illinois Disclosure and Regulation of Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Act on constitutional grounds.

Specifically, Plaintiffs claim the Act violates the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause by exempting political parties from the contribution limits applicable to PACs and individuals, by lifting contribution limits in races where a self-funding candidate or independent expenditure committee spends more than a particular threshold, and by imposing lower contribution limits on PACs than are imposed on corporations, labor unions, and other organizations.

The complaint also challenges the Act’s constitutionality because it classifies legislative caucus committees as political party committees and thereby treats them more favorable than PACs, corporations, and individuals, without valid reasoning.

On March 3, U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman denied Defendant’s motion to dismiss with respect to the treatment of legislative caucus committees but granted the motion with respect to all other challenges.

Although the court suspects legislative caucus committees are sufficiently similar to political party committees for purposes of constitutional analysis, the case remains open to give both sides a fair opportunity to address the issue.