State Sen. Martin Sandoval

Michael Giorango

Former state Sen. Annazette Collins

Rep. Dan Burke

Ending legislative scholarships: 'It wasn't what you know. It was who you knew,' ex-gov says

For a century, Illinois lawmakers received a bloc of college scholarships to hand out to students of their choice.

But rather than going to the neediest or most qualified, the tuition waivers to the state's public universities frequently went to the politically-connected children of lobbyists, campaign donors and, in at least one case, a mobster.

"It wasn't what you knew. It was who you knew," former Gov. Pat Quinn said in signing legislation to abolish the program.

Between 2011 and 2012, I delved into abuses of the program, along with my partner on some of those stories, the Better Government Association. We uncovered cases in which lawmakers repeatedly violated state law with no consequences by awarding tuition waivers to students living outside their legislative districts.

A federal investigation ensued, and our reporting was cited by state Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, as a key reason his legislation eliminating the program was signed into law by Pat Quinn in 2012. As a sign of gratitude, Crespo gave me a pen Quinn used to enact the bill.

Stories:

STATE SENATOR: GIVING SCHOLARSHIP TO REPUTED MOBSTER'S SON AN 'ERROR'; Sandoval says he took steps to revoke $8,200-year award (7/4/2011)
Ex-state rep in scholarship probe; Robert Molaro gave campaign contributor's 4 children $94,000 in tuition waivers, records show (8/8/2011)
QUESTIONS ABOUT STATE REP'S PICK FOR SCHOLARSHIP; Member of his state government 'family' got 4 free years at Southern Illinois (08/16/2011)
1 ADDRESS, 5 FREE RIDES TO COLLEGE; State Sen. Sandoval, who signed all the applications, wants to know how it happened (8/24/2011)
Legislative scholarship records sent to FBI; reaction to Sun-Times story | Questions raised about student's address (8/27/2011)
STATE REP. RITA GAVE ALLY'S DAUGHTER FREE RIDE TO U. OF I.; perk for family of Ald. Beale worth about $37,000 (1/23/2012) 
1 ADDRESS, 5 FREE RIDES; Questions about Sen. Collins' scholarships (3/9/2012)
House votes to yank scholarships (3/22/2012)
CLOUT DISMISSED!; End may be near for legislative scholarships (5/3/2012)
Senate votes to end clout scholarships (5/4/2012)
MORE STATE HANDOUTS, EVEN AFTER INDICTMENT (5/22/2012)
Legislators kill scandal-tainted scholarship perk (5/22/2012)
Feds probe tuition waivers by state senator (7/11/2012)
Qui/uploads/4/7/1/2/47129335/investigations_quinn_signs_bill.docxnn signs bill ending scandal-ridden scholarship program; bill ends legislative tuition waivers (7/12/2012)
Rep. Dan Burke's scholarship records subpoenaed (7/26/2012)

State Rep. Fred Crespo

"Kudos to you, the Sun-Times and the [Better Government Association] for sticking to it almost like a pit bull. You didn’t let it go. That was key."
-State Rep. Fred Crespo, lead House sponsor of legislative scholarship abolition legislation told me