SPRINGFIELD, IL. (ECWd) –
From WMAY: December 8, 2014–Bishop On Air from 9 to 11:30 on News Talk 970 WMAY
There’s a saying that sunshine is the best disinfectant and an independent nonprofit watchdog that was started by a couple of veterans in Illinois with that exact goal. IllinoisLeaks.com has a familiar theme–get the information to expose government wrongdoing an post it online for the world to see. We’ll talk with Kirk Allen and John Kraft about their organization: Some of their victories and some impediments to transparency. That’s coming up just after 9:30.
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Edited to add link to PODCAST (click here) of the show.
It was a good half-hour discussion, but could have lasted several hours. We talked a little bit about the Citizen’s Arrest, Arcola Township, College of DuPage, and the new FOIA amendment that recently passed.
3 Comments
Robert O. Bogue
Posted at 06:02h, 09 DecemberGreat interview! Congratulations at getting the word out on the most suppressive FOIA law changes passed here in “what is now recognized by many as the most corrupt state in the union”.
These FOIA law changes, have the most far reaching detrimental effect on our ability to hold our government responsible for wrong doing than in all likelihood; would be, just removing our right to vote.
Ask yourself. How can the typical citizen afford to gain access to the documents showing the corruption of our officials…. and bring them to justice with this impossible financial penalty? The corrupt politicians that voted yes on this should find another country to live in, one in which, dictatorship is more fashionable. Without the citizen’s ability to discover the facts and to question our government, particularly when it’s managed by criminals, our government and our state will only continue to undercut citizens rights and it’s move towards a dictatorship.
It’s a fact, some of our government officials do lie. They do hide the truth. They do operate with conflicts in interest. Many use our tax money as a personal revenue stream…which they don’t want to loose or have interrupted. Some do “steal” as much money as they possibly can through subterfuge and most of all don’t want to be caught, go to jail or to be embarrassed. Any doubts? Check out the Edgar County Airport million dollar Grant that was recently halted. Planes that don’t exist and fuel tanks that were never needed, fuel sales that never were…only became public information because of the FOIA law here in Illinois before it was changed. There’s a saving of nearly one million dollars to all taxpayers. The facts are, only a fraction of what is happening becomes public, only a fraction is prosecuted by local state’s attorneys.
Not only does the FOIA law need the original provisions re-instated and John’s suggestion that public officials become personally responsible…but here in Illinois we need another way to prosecute these crooks when our local state’s attorney’s are sleeping with the enemy and refuse to do so.
Illinois desperately needs a means to remove the absolute local control over law enforcement and prosecution of criminals. Illinois needs to bring into play an oversight and overriding force that can deal with their special dealings, lack of performance, favoritism, bullying or what ever…..since obviously, what is in place isn’t working. Thanks for listening.
joesteals
Posted at 11:09h, 08 DecemberWatchdogs on WMAY, Springfield this morning… http://t.co/BJPmMcX2lN
ECWDogs
Posted at 10:49h, 08 DecemberWatchdogs on WMAY, Springfield this morning… http://t.co/YWHDgbhvbJ