Obama's Indian-American campaign adviser eyes Comptroller post

Yoshita Singh

Chicago, Apr 28 (PTI) Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi,
who had served as campaign adviser for US President Barack
Obama, plans to run for the post of Illinois Comptroller, the
state's chief fiscal officer.

Krishnamoorthi, who served as Deputy Illinois Treasurer,
has formed an exploratory committee, which would help him
raise funds for the campaign and explore the possibility of
running for the post next year.

"Barack Obama's breakthrough in American politics has
inspired me to explore running for statewide office in
Illinois. Now it is our chance to bring real reform to
Illinois government and more transparency to the state's
finances," Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat, told PTI.

The Comptroller's post is currently held by Dan Hynes.
Krishnamoorthi said he would run for the statewide office
should Hynes choose not to run for re-election in 2010.

If Krishnamoorthi wins, he would be the first
Asian-American to hold statewide office in Illinois.

Krishnamoorthi would be travelling across the state to
meet party leaders and introduce himself as a potential
candidate. The primary elections for the post would be held in
February 2010 and general elections in November 2010.

As the state's chief fiscal officer, the comptroller
is the keeper of the state's cheque book and has intimate
knowledge of the state's finances, serving as the people's
fiscal guardian.

The idea to run for the post came to Krishnamoorthi,
35, after the corruption scandal involving former governor
Rod Blagojevich came to light.

"We must weed out the corruption and pay-to-play
contracts that have contributed to a record state deficit.
The comptroller can offer perspective on how to reform the
contracting system to end the pay-to-play politics that has
gripped the state," he said.

Krishnamoorthi stepped down from the deputy treasurer
position earlier this month to avoid any conflicts of
interest and to abide by strict ethical rules and regulations.
He had worked on Obama's successful 2004 campaign for the US
Senate, serving first as the issues director for his primary
campaign and then as a senior adviser in his general election
campaign.

A "close friend" of the US President, Krishnamoorthi
has known Obama for the last 10 years. In December last year,
Krishnamoorthi received an invitation from the Presidential
Inaugural Committee to be among friends and family invited to
attend Obama's January 20 inauguration ceremony.

He was also part of the "small group of people" that
Obama met after being sworn in as the nation's first African
American President. PTI YAS
SAK