Website Tracks Campaign Contributions CHICAGO, IL (wqub) - A new Web site could help expose a long-prevalent practice in Illinois ... in which politicians award their campaign donors with state business. On the "Open Book" site ... users can track how much money a company or person with a state contract has given in political contributions, and to which politicians' campaign funds.

That sort of information was already available to the public. But Jay Stewart of the Illinois Better Government Association says finding and weeding through it could be tough for an average, curious citizen.

"But before, uh, it was hard to get ahold of this information unless you're a member of the press or someone who knows their way around state government. Now if you have a computer and a modem, uh, you can get on that Web site and do it yourself and it's very easy to use."

Advocates like Stewart say that when campaign contributors get government contracts ... it creates a conflict of interest that can end up costing taxpayers' money. They also say it creates the perception that government is rigged ... and that in turn leads to voter apathy.

The Illinois House passed a measure that limits the political donations those with state contracts can make. That legislation is stuck in the Senate. Senate President Emil Jones and Governor Rod Blagojevich say they favor still tighter restrictions. Advocates involved with the Open Book Web site dismiss that claim ... and Comptroller Dan Hynes says the Senate has no excuse for not moving forward.

The Open Book database is available on the Comptroller's Web site ... at www-dot-openbook-dot-I-O-C-dot-state-dot-I-L-dot-U-S.
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