Comptroller makes it easier to see who's paying to play

SPRINGFIELD – Awarding juicy state contracts to big-time campaign contributors is still perfectly legal in Illinois, but following the money just got a whole lot easier.

Comptroller Dan Hynes on Tuesday unveiled a new Web site that combines his state contract data with the campaign contribution database kept by the State Board of Elections. He hopes the site, called Open Book, will help expose pay-to-play politics and prompt passage of HB 1. The bill would ban contributions from major state contractors and require bidders on contracts worth more than $10,000 to disclose any political contributions to the relevant officeholder.

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