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* BGA…
The state’s former public health director – a well-regarded advisor to Gov. J.B. Pritzker during the COVID-19 crisis – is under investigation by a state ethics agency for taking a CEO job at a medical non-profit overseen and funded by the state agency she led.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, a steady, reassuring figure alongside Pritzker during pandemic news conferences, stepped down from her $178,000-per-year state post in March. In April, she accepted an offer to lead Sinai Health System — one of the state’s top medical nonprofits.
The Illinois Ethics Act requires department heads like Ezike to wait a year before accepting positions with companies that hold contracts overseen by their departments, or with companies their departments license or regulate. And while in office they cannot engage in job negotiations with companies that lobby their agencies.
The law is designed to prevent the cozy revolving door between state officials and the companies their agencies fund and regulate.
The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General opened an ethics investigation of Ezike amid inquiries by the Better Government Association.
Contacted by telephone, Ezike — once a fixture in daily media — declined to be interviewed. Instead she said the BGA would get a call from her attorney. “Let me have your contact information and I can have them reach out to you,” Ezike said.
One of her attorneys told the BGA Ezike’s new position was not subject to the state’s revolving door law because the more than $2 million in grant agreements Ezike signed with Sinai were not “contracts.’’
“I do not believe Dr. Ezike violated the revolving door,” said Heather Wier Vaught. “From a legal perspective, it’s not clear cut. That’s part of the problem with Illinois’ law. The revolving door law is not clear cut. It’s very gray.”
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about the story today…
Let me begin by saying Dr. Ezike has been a phenomenal public servant. She truly saved lives. You all, I think, understand that. She has been a leader who has helped Illinois become a leader at vaccinating people and making sure that we had testing available, keeping people healthy. That story that you’re referring to about her indicates that there’s a debate about this provision that they’re looking at. And all I can tell you is Dr. Ezike left the Department of Public Health, not to take some big-time job at a major corporation pharmaceutical or otherwise, she went to a safety net hospital doing, yet again, more public service. So I want you to know, I believe now as I have throughout her tenure, that she’s one of the great public servants that we’ve had in Illinois, proud of her and I know, they’ll get through this, you know, look at all of whatever’s necessary. But I want to be clear, she is somebody who is always trying to do the right thing.
…Adding… Her predecessor made more than $1 million a year.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:22 pm
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= …Dr. Ezike left the Department of Public Health, not to take some big-time job at a major corporation pharmaceutical or otherwise, she went to a safety net hospital doing, yet again, more public service. =
If the Ethics Code forbids a Dr. Ezike from this kind of transition, there is something wrong with the Ethics Code.
Comment by Dirty Red Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:28 pm
Should probably be BGA and not DGA.
Comment by ryan Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:30 pm
Nevermind, you fixed it already. Sorry for the noise.
Comment by ryan Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:31 pm
I can’t comment on the specific situation, but suffice to say the state’s revolving door provisions, as applied, are clear as mud - and that goes for people who are honestly trying to follow them.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:41 pm
==I can’t comment on the specific situation, but suffice to say the state’s revolving door provisions, as applied, are clear as mud - and that goes for people who are honestly trying to follow them.==
This one is pretty clear-cut. She was the director of Public Health. She oversaw and licensed hospitals. She oversaw and awarded grants to hospitals. And she took a job with a…hospital. You can argue whether the law is fair, but there doesn’t seem to be any question that she’s in violation of it.
Comment by well... Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:45 pm
If she obtained a waiver from OEIG, she is golden. Otherwise, toast.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:47 pm
I trust the investigation to reach the correct decision as to whether or not an ethics violation occurred, and if so, hand down a justifiable ruling. As a state employee, I have taken the same state ethics training module every year, for too many years. Indeed, it seems I am now taking three or four training modules every year on a host of topics. Based on the training module I take, it does seem like an investigation is at the very least reasonable and in order. As to any possible sanctions, the available range is anything from dismissal to censure to hefty fines. I doubt the latter would come into play in this situation, IF it is determined that the rule was violated.
Comment by H-W Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 2:51 pm
She is not allowed to take the job within the that timeframe…period. There is nothing gray about it. She was indeed a great public servant but she cannot accept that position now. She must wait.
Comment by Early Illinoisan Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:22 pm
This situation seems to me a spirit vs letter of the law kind of deal. Or it may be legal but it still ain’t right…she should have waited her year.
Comment by Captain Obvious Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:25 pm
This will be the next Tom DeVore Facebook puppet show. Nobody hated the Dr. more than him.
Comment by Club J Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:32 pm
I am a little confused as to why this is so complicated. She either received OEIG approval before accepting the job or she didn’t. There is nothing gray about that.
Comment by Centennial Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:32 pm
Headline: “Former State Health Director Ezike Under Scrutiny by the State’s Top Ethics Investigator”
Chaser, from the article: “The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General opened an ethics investigation of Ezike amid inquiries by the Better Government Association.”
The BGA wants an investigation so that they have a story to write and they want fines or a firing, so they can trumpet more. Whatever happened to ethics in journalism?
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:41 pm
Safety nets are public servants? If a road contractor works on a state highway project are they now considered “public servants”?
Comment by Early Illinoisan Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:51 pm
Centennial, there is no process for “h-listers” to get OEIG approval, which includes agency directors and chiefs of staff.
Folks in those titles are required to make the determination on their own.
Comment by Juice Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:52 pm
Dr. Ezike is fantastic and she couldn’t get to Sinai fast enough. her predecessor, big problems.
Comment by Amalia Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 3:53 pm
So now the OEIG is compelled to open investigations because the BGA decides something’s a conflict? The BGA needs to go away.
Comment by BWA Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 4:05 pm
This is why Illinois can’t have nice things. We want good public servants, but we tell them they can’t take a job or do anything productive after they leave state employment. It works for those who want to spend their entire career with the state but makes no sense for those who want to serve for a few years. The law needs to change.
Comment by olden days Friday, Jun 10, 22 @ 4:20 pm