Ethics Reform Report Released

The Chicago Ethics Reform Task Force outlined 34 recommendations for improving the City of Chicago’s ethics ordinance in Part I of its report, released in April.

The Task Force, established in December by Mayor Emanuel, considered improvements to the existing ethics ordinances in three areas: regulation, prevention and education, and investigations and enforcement. In developing its recommendations, the Task Force interviewed more than 60 experts, academics, and local stakeholders.

The Task Force recommended reforms such as:

• Strengthening the gift ban
• Eliminating honoraria
• Prohibiting elected officials and City employees from receiving or giving loans to lobbyists
• Adding whistleblower protection for reporting misconduct Increasing and enforcing penalties for ethics violations
• Improving training and education

Jones Day and Civic Consulting Alliance staffed the work of the Task Force.

"With amazing support from Civic Consulting Alliance and Jones Day, the Task Force embarked on an ambitious agenda," said Cynthia Canary, Chair of the Task Force. "We were clear from the beginning that rewriting the ethics ordinance wasn't enough—we also wanted to make recommendations that would build a positive ethical culture and impact public perceptions about Chicago."

Part II of the report, which will be released later this summer, will focus on lobbying, the responsibilities and roles of the ethics institutions, and specific recommendations for the investigations and enforcement processes.

Read Part I of the report here.

For more information, contact Gillian Darlow.

Partners:

Jones Day