The Appearance of Propriety

The Governor says he’s worried that the people of Illinois won’t believe in the integrity of a $45-billion dollar state construction program…..so….he wants the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee to step down.

It seems that the chair, Senator Martin Sandoval, recently was paid a visit by the FBI, among others, raiding his offices with a search warrant from a federal judge. They carted off files and computers and numerous cellphones. The search warrant mentioned lobbyists, local government officials, five state department of transportation employees and a spreadsheet entitled “friends of Martin Sandoval.”

That makes Governor J. B. Pritzker a little squeamish with Sandoval’s involvement in the implementation of highway projects. Did I mention “billions----45 billion dollars in road construction projects?”

Pritzker knows what was going on. You and I can guess. Contracts were going to be funneled to contractors---friendly contractors. Friendly contractors are also players at election time.

Nobody’s been charged…but Pritzker wants Sandoval to resign. He’s jaded.

But not so fast…The President of the Senate, fellow Democrat John Cullerton, says he’s not throwing Sandoval under the bus just yet. . He wants more information. In other words, a full-on raid of his colleague’s offices does not raise the specter of possible corruption inside Illinois government. I know the words “bribery and fraud” seems shocking.

 I’d be suspicious  even without the raid.

The Governor is right on this one. Sandoval needs to step aside until he’s exonerated.