Judicial Watch filed an open records lawsuits against
Illinois Governor
Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois Senate
and Illinois Senate President Emil Jones over documents related to pork
barrel spending in the State of Illinois and
“secret-side deals” made between Governor Blagojevich and Illinois state
lawmakers.
Judicial Watch and the Americans for Prosperity launched
an investigation of public spending policies in the State of Illinois after
multiple press reports documented “secret side deals” between
Governor Blagojevich and Illinois
lawmakers “for items ranging from police cars and tornado sirens to
millions of dollars for after-school programs…” (The Chicago Tribune estimated these pork
barrel projects cost Illinois
taxpayers at least $70.8 million in 2006 alone.)
As part of this investigation, Judicial Watch submitted
open records requests to the Illinois Senate and the office of Governor
Blagojevich on February 25, 2008 and March 20,
2008 respectively.
“[Judicial Watch and Americans for Prosperity] are
undertaking a detailed review of public spending practices in Illinois,
including member initiatives and/or earmarked appropriations, about which
substantial questions have been raised,” Judicial Watch wrote in its
original open records request filed with the Illinois Senate.
Predictably, both offices failed to cooperate.
In a letter dated March
20, 2008, the Illinois Senate, citing “privacy
interests,” indicated that no documents would be forthcoming, while the
governor’s office failed to respond to the open records requests
altogether. In both lawsuits, Judicial Watch is asking the Circuit Court
of the 7th Judicial Circuit in Sangamon
County, Illinois, to
force compliance with Illinois open
records law.
With respect to Judicial Watch’s lawsuit against the
Illinois Senate, Judicial Watch is asking the court to, “Enjoin [the
Illinois Senate] to prepare, forthwith, an affidavit declaring that they have
fully and completely complied with Plaintiff’s February 25, 2008 request
and further [declare] that any and all non-exempt public records responsive to
the request have been produced to [Judicial Watch].”
Governor Blagojevich and the Illinois Senate need to come
clean about any side deals they made to fund pork barrel projects. Their
attempt to stonewall the release of these documents demonstrates a shocking
lack of respect for both Illinois
taxpayers and the rule of law.