Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he’s “improved” a bill that would shut off one of the biggest spigots pouring money into his campaign fund. In fact, as the governor knows full well, his “improvements” will kill the reform bill. He shouldn’t get away with it.
The bill, passed by the General Assembly on the last day of the session in May, would end the corrupt practice known as “pay to play.” Businesses that want state contracts in Illinois know to contribute generously to political campaigns, especially the governor’s.
House Bill 824 would forbid businesses with more than $50,000 in state contracts from contributing to the officeholder who awards them. In most cases, the contracts are awarded by state agencies controlled by the governor.
Mr. Blagojevich has collected millions in contributions from such state contractors. In fact, the Blagojevich administration may have hung out a price tag. The Chicago Tribune examined donation records and found 235 donations for exactly $25,000. The contributors generally ended up with something from the state, be it a contract, a job, favorable policies or a regulatory decision, the paper reported.

The reform proposal languished for years in the legislature. Then former Gov. George Ryan went to prison on federal corruption convictions, and Tony Rezko, a major power broker and fund raiser for Mr. Blagojevich (and a friend and donor of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, of whom you may have heard), was convicted of bribery in a pay-to-play scheme. FBI agents continue to sniff around the Blagojevich administration.
The spectacle finally shamed the legislature into action. Both houses passed the bill unanimously. Now Mr. Blagojevich has used a power called an “amendatory veto” — which exists in Illinois and six other states — to add provisions to the bill.
One would forbid state contractors from contributing not only to the governor, but also to legislators, political parties and candidates for statewide office. Another would force legislators to vote on their own pay raises instead of receiving them automatically. A third provision would ban legislators from holding municipal and county jobs, in most cases.
Mr. Blagojevich said he’s made the bill “better” and “stronger.” This would be true if there were any chance the legislature might actually pass it. Actually, he’s trying to improve it to death.

Illinois’ campaign contribution laws are ridiculously lax. There is no limit on how much donors can give to political candidates. That includes judicial candidates, giving the state the dubious honor having judges raising millions of dollars from trial lawyers and business interests.
The best solution would be a total overhaul of state campaign laws, including donation limits, merit selection of judges, pay-to-play and the reforms the governor included in his amendatory veto. But half a loaf is better is none, and HB 824 addresses a critical problem.
With a 60 percent vote in both houses, the General Assembly can override an amendatory veto and pass the original bill. Legislators should do so promptly. The people of Illinois are tired of crooked government.