Former State Senator Mark Rhoads, who served in the 1970’s and now resides in the Washington, D.C., area, made some comments on my story posted on Illinois Review about Jeff Ladd’s grant of immunity from prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ladd was a Con-con delegate.
“It is really amazing how many of these names I recognize as wannabe power brokers from 30 years ago.
“Bill Cellini, of course, was more than a wannabe even then.
“Wasn’t Jeff Ladd an associate of George Lindbergh, our first comptroller? George had a very good reputation as I recall it.
“Here is the biggest disappointment to me of a generation of Republican leaders that started out together in the 1970s.
“There came a point when the pursuit of influence and money for some became an end in itself without regard to any public good that might happen as a result of efforts to gain public office.
“We learn and forget lessons over and over again that should teach us that people whose only goal is to fill public jobs for the good it will do them will wind up in major trouble sooner or later.
“You and I have known idealistic and honest legislators over the years but they too often get discouraged and do not stay long enough in office to overcome the mischief of the long-term professional political class.
“Far too few donors contribute to political campaigns just because they want to see good government. They want and get a return on their investment in the form of government contracts.
“It has been that way in Illinois in both parties since the 1920s when “Republican” Mayor Big Bill Thompson and “Republican” Gov. Len Small worked hand in glove with their Democratic co-conspirators from the First Ward, Bathouse John Coughlin and Hinky Dink Kenna to give away the store.
“Here and there a reformer makes some waves.
“Paul Simon wrote an article (in Atlantic Monthly) that led to legislators being investigated. John Paul Stevens work with the Greenberg Commission forced the resignation of two Illinois Supreme Court Justices.
“Republican senators Terrel Clarke and Frank Ozinga turned over some rocks that led to an investigation of bribes connected to the weight of cement trucks on Illinois highways. But unfortunately, the reform efforts don’t last that long either.”
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Bill Cellini is seen leaving the Crystal Lake City Council meeting after winning the right to be the developer for the Vulcan Lakes Tax Increment Financing district. George Lindberg’s yard sign is from 1966.