Prairie State Wire

Of the seven states the Government Accountability Institute (GAI) evaluated for favoritism in the legal cannabis industry, four are under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to GAI researchers, but Illinois is not among them.

“The fact that FBI investigations are so prevalent speaks to politicians potentially finding it hard not to partake in the opportunities that come with regulating this industry,” Eric Eggers, director of research for GAI, said. “The question is why isn’t the FBI investigating Illinois?”

The states under investigation by the FBI include California, Missouri, Florida and New York, according to GAI's Cannabis Cronyism report.

“We included information on Gov. J.B. Pritzker because it fits into the larger pattern of politicians nationally that advocate for policies in which they have some connection to their circle of family or friends who benefit,” Eggers told the Prairie State Wire.

Although the practice is not illegal, Eggers said it is a question of ethics.

“It's clearly not illegal,” he said. “We study the nexus between public service and personal enrichment. Most of what people find troubling isn’t illegal but just because it’s not illegal doesn't mean it’s in the best interest of the public.”

Once he was elected, Pritzker legalized the use of recreational marijuana and his cousin Joby Pritzker allegedly helped write the bill, according to the GAI report. Joby Pritzker is reportedly invested in the cannabis vaporizer company PAX Labs, which now sells cannabis vaporizers in more than 120 locations in Illinois as of 2020. In May 2018, the vaporizers were only sold at 50 locations in the state.

“His cousin is the one who made the money,” Steve Stewart, a GAI researcher, told Prairie State Wire. “Gov. Pritzker was already a billionaire when he ran for office. He self-financed his campaign, but what we found out was that Jody Pritzker and two other family members who are on the board of PAX Labs benefit financially.”

About $1 million in campaign contributions by Stephen and Mary Jo Schuler of Oak Park to a few Illinois elected officials were reportedly in support of a change in the law involving opioids that graced PharmaCann with a windfall in which the Schulers are reportedly investors, according to the GAI.

“With the coordination of campaign donations, it’s pretty clear what they were trying to do in Illinois,” Stewart said. “It’s all legal but it does raise concerns about the impact of campaign donations."

Stewart and Eggers said the GAI report was released to draw attention to a larger pattern.

“If you look at the details of campaign donations, they made huge contributions ahead of legislation that they would benefit from and those campaign contributions paralleled major decisions that expanded medical marijuana before Gov. Pritzker legalized it,” Stewart said.

The researchers further report in the study that Nancy Kimme worked for Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner before she launched her own marijuana lobbying firm. Meanwhile, Democratic legislator Lou Lang, who advocated for cannabis, immediately landed a job working for Kimme after his term as a lawmaker ended in 2019.

“The revolving door is not new or unusual, but it does speak to the network of relationships that can influence public policy,” Stewart said. “There are barriers and obstacles that can be implemented but that only happens when people become aware and it's reported by the media who is benefiting. The first step would be to increase transparency.”