Statement of Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman
Delivered at the first meeting of the Illinois Reform Commission
January 22, 2009
Pat, thank you for asking me to serve on this commission. It is an honor.
For the last three years, I have worked full time on corruption issues in Chicago and have led an independent office of investigators, lawyers, and auditors dedicated to this cause. I have learned a great deal during this time.
I agreed to be a part of this commission for four reasons. One, our corruption problem remains very serious and is very harmful to us in tangible ways. Yet far too often, even recently, I still hear people questioning whether we really have a widespread problem that is worse than other parts of the country. The truth is that we're kidding ourselves if we think our corruption problems are minor, isolated, or typical.
Two, this is the right time to focus on anti-corruption efforts. Scandals over the last five years have increased awareness and anger. People are ready to do something about it. We should not worry that past efforts have not achieved enough. This is a different time. Generations and technology have changed and our provincialism has declined. Tolerating corruption makes even less sense than before, and this will help make change possible.
Three, we will be strictly independent of any state officials or political interests. I know this because Pat Collins has assured me of this and I know that Pat's word is true. Our independence is critical because we must be guided by our own views of what is right and what will be effective, regardless of whether it helps or hurts existing interests in the system.
Four, we have the potential to make an important contribution on this issue. How big our contribution will be depends, I think, on two things. First, our specific recommendations must be bold, smart, and well-researched. They must cover the right topics. And they must be based on a firm understanding of both our local history and of the best anti-corruption efforts around the nation and the world. Second, we must recognize that our work will not end with the issuance of a report. Experience shows that even the best commission reports can languish on a shelf without aggressive and committed follow-up work.
I would define our charge this way: We must be bold in envisioning a better future, because the reality is that change is achievable. But we must not be naive in describing how serious the problem is and how entrenched the forces are that have opposed fundamental change on this issue.
I want to end by saying one thing to my fellow commissioners about our chairman, Pat Collins. I do not know most of you, but I have had the pleasure of working with Pat in the U.S. Attorney's Office during my seven years as an AUSA. I am biased, but I count that office as one of the best and most important institutions in the state. And in that office, Pat's work and reputation were unsurpassed. You should know this about Pat. He is both idealistic and hard-nosed. He is very smart and very honest. And he is not naive. I agreed to be on this commission because of Pat - because I know that if we are going to do something that counts, Pat is the right person to lead us.
Pat, thank you again for asking me to participate. And to my fellow commissioners, I look forward to working with you.