Proposal aims to limit campaigning by agency directors

Posted on October 21, 2016
Andy Manar and Sam McCann
State Sens. Andy Manar (left) and Sam McCann have proposed new ethics laws. (Photos courtesy www.ilga.gov)

By RFD Radio/WFMB

SPRINGFIELD – A bipartisan effort is underway to keep top officials in state government from politicking for a candidate.

A pair of Senators, Democrat Andy Manar of Bunker Hill and Republican Sam McCann of Plainview want to reign in the ways agency directors can campaign for political candidates.

Manar called it an ethics loophole.

“Our state ethics act today allows for executive branch employees who are trusted with the authority to license and to regulate, who control billions of dollars of grant funds, to campaign for or against candidates for the General Assembly or any other public office,” Manar said.

McCann says the new law would allow for the individual to support a candidate with money or other support but they could not appear in paid advertising.

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