Former Chicago alderperson Ed Burke today was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $2 million for his conviction on 13 charges, including racketeering, conspiracy, extortion and bribery. The […]
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Posted inResearch & Analysis
Proposed Public Funding for Chicago Elections Could Give $200,000 Boost to Small-Donor Campaigns
A proposal from City Council ethics chair Ald. Matt Martin (47th) would add a public funding option to Chicago’s campaign finance landscape, bringing the city more in line with its […]
Posted inPolicy Statements
Deferred Ethics Bill Continues Alarming Pattern
An ordinance proposed by the Chicago Board of Ethics and introduced by City Council ethics committee chair Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) got the slowroll treatment today, with Alds. Chris […]
Posted inPolicy Statements
BGA Calls for Action on Stalled Ethics Ordinance
A package of changes to Chicago’s government ethics ordinance has stalled in City Council, despite the backing of the city’s Board of Ethics and the chair of the council’s ethics […]
Posted inResearch & Analysis
One Year In, Johnson’s City Council Spends One-Third of its Time on Honorary Resolutions
A year of City Council meetings since the 2023 elections hasn’t seen much change in the body’s time management: Roughly one-third of regular meeting time, from the end of public […]
Posted inUpdates
Building Bridges: Community Collaboration and Journalism Panel
This panel brings together industry leaders to share insights and perspectives on fostering community collaboration, emphasizing the importance of building bridges to strengthen connections within the media landscape. Meet the […]
Posted inPolicy Statements
Testimony by BGA President David Greising before the House Personnel & Pensions Committee
Chair Kifowit, Vice Chair Rohr, Rep. Reick, members of the committee: Thank you for the invitation to speak today about one of the most important issues facing our state: How […]
Out of the Shadows: Empowering Communities Through Court Transparency
As part of the Court Transparency Coalition, Common Cause, the Better Government and BUILD’s Peace and Justice Center present a community forum to explore how Illinois Courts impact the lives […]
Posted inPolicy Statements
Make the Judicial Branch Subject to FOIA
Below is a letter BGA Policy sent to the General Assembly of Illinois urging them to support court transparency: In Illinois, the public has the right to documents and information […]
Join us for Beyond the Byline and the Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting
Join us for Beyond the Byline: Featuring the 20th Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Awards for Investigative Reporting on Thursday, May 9th, from 4:00-8:00 P.M. at Venue SIX10 in downtown Chicago. […]