[NormalGuy]

Illinois is embarrassed to report that its role was to have bi-partisan-combine-chief Big Jim Thompson on the commission. Thompson is skilled at leveraging these types of commissions for his personal resume and for pinstripe welfare opportunities.

For those of you not familiar with pinstrip welfare in Illinois it works like this. Thompson comes accross some information that he can hold over some other powerful person's head. But Thompson does not make the information public. He exchanges withholding the information in exchange for a consulting fee or legal fee for doing nothing.

[GoldCountryRedneck]

...He exchanges withholding the information in exchange for a consulting fee....

In other words... (wink, wink, nod, nod) ...extortion.