Press Release - Friday, May 14, 2004
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Governor Blagojevich makes appointments to Executive Ethics Commission
CHICAGO - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today appointed Father John Cusick and Ellen Craig to the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission. Craig and Cusick join Scott Turow as the Governor's appointments to the commission.
"We looked for highly-qualified individuals with mature judgment and impeccable integrity. We found those unique qualities in Ellen Craig and Reverend John Cusick," said Governor Blagojevich.
Rev. Cusick, ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1970, is the director of Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese. He is responsible for the Church's outreach to women and men in their twenties and thirties, married and single. The Young Adult Ministry Office and his residence are at the Old St. Patrick's Church in downtown Chicago.
The Executive Ethics Commission, a component of sweeping ethics reform, was signed into law by Governor Blagojevich last December. The monumental ethics reform package provides more definitive rules regarding what constitutes improper use of state time and resources, improves ethics training and reporting procedures, and establishes strong enforcement mechanisms to ensure ethics rules are followed. The nine-member Commission will review and determine appropriate action in cases brought forward by the executive inspectors general and represented by the Attorney General.
The Governor appoints five members to the commission, and the Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Comptroller each appoint one member. Appointments require confirmation by the Illinois Senate. Commission members cannot be state government employees and receive the same part-time salary rate as members of the Illinois State Board of Elections. With six members appointed to the commission, a quorum is in place and work can begin.
Members of the Executive Ethics Commission include:
Ellen Craig, appointed by the Governor
Scott Turow, appointed by the Governor
John Cusick, appointed by the Governor
Maria Kuzas, appointed by Secretary of State Jesse White
James Faught, appointed by Comptroller Dan Hynes
Frederick Hess, appointed by Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka
(three positions are currently vacant)
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