Yesterday, State Rep. Jack Franks’ name showed up on a list of people recommending his brother David and Woodstock Dr. Leo Reyes to various boards.

Today, the Daily Herald’s Rob Olmstead was the first out of the box with the letters from state officials solicited by State Rep. Jack Franks on behalf of his client Mercy Health System’s attempt to build a hospital in Crystal Lake.

Here is the part in the article about the letters:

“Rep. Franks, who is also a lawyer, was the attorney for the hospital at the time it was seeking approval, and he asked several State of Illinois department head officials to write official letters expressing their support for the hospital. At least five did. Franks maintained he solicited their help as a private citizen on behalf of a client, not in his capacity as state representative.

“But one of the letters admitted into evidence Tuesday, written by Illinois Department of Revenue head Brian Hamer said

‘I am writing at the request of Representative Jack Franks.’

That use of Franks’ title as a legislator would reflect the feeling of several department heads, who said in previous published interviews they felt Franks was putting the strong-arm on them as a state representative, not a private lawyer.”

Franks, of course, is not accused of doing anything illegal.

But it does show how being a state legislator can help one’s legal practice.