Americans for Prosperity Applauds Judicial Watch Lawsuit Against Governor Blagojevich & Senate President Emil Jones

DC's Judicial Watch to Sue Blagojevich & Jones for FOIA Violations

SPRINGFIELD- The Illinois Chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) earlier today joined Washington D.C.-based Judicial Watch in its announcement that it had filed a lawsuit in Sangamon County against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones for violations to state regulations concerning disclosure of government documents.

The lawsuit was filed after repeated attempts by Judicial Watch to force the governor and President Jones to disclose how lump-sum member initiative funds were being spent. Judicial Watch and AFP-IL, a grassroots organization committed to limited government and free-market principles, made those attempts through the auspices of Illinois' Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

"Governor Blagojevich and the Illinois Senate President Emil Jones needs to come clean now about any side deals they made to fund pork barrel projects," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Their attempts to stonewall the release of these documents demonstrate a shocking lack of respect for both Illinois taxpayers and the rule of law."

According to Calomino, this lawsuit has the primary goal of uncovering pork-barrel projects that have been kept secret by the governor and senate president. Recent published reports have exposed a number of embarrassing and questionable initiatives where little or no oversight has resulted in a waste of taxpayer resources.

"For years, the governor and Senate President Emil Jones have been conducting a cynical game of hide & seek with taxpayers' funds," said AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino. "Instead of following the law which clearly states that requests for information from our state government must be fulfilled, the governor and Senator Jones apparently think they are above the law and simply do not need to comply. We intend to prove them wrong."

"No matter what the outcome of this lawsuit may bring, Illinois needs stronger disclosure laws that would force lawmakers to vote on projects before they become reality," Calomino stated. "AFP-IL worked with the General Assembly this year to pass such a law. While it passed the House unanimously, the Senate did not see fit to call it for a vote."

According to Calomino, AFP-IL will continue its quest to force open and transparent government.

"Many lawmakers agree with us that their actions must be open to review and accountability measures," Calomino said. "It shouldn't take a lawsuit to force officials elected by the people of this state to do the right thing."

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