Former Illinois governor urges special session on ethics after 'ComEd Four' guilty verdict

[May 10, 2023]  By Andrew Hensel | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – As one former Illinois governor requests that a special legislative session on ethics be called in Springfield, members of the House discussed reappointing the man who oversees lawmaker conduct.

Pat Quinn served as Illinois governor from 2009 to 2015. He took office after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office. After last week's "ComEd Four" guilty verdicts that dealt directly with corruption at the Illinois Statehouse, Quinn was in Springfield Tuesday to call for a special legislative session on ethics.

Quinn discussed an official letter written to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside, and Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park.

Quinn said the state is currently dealing with an ethics crisis.

"I think that underlines why anytime there is an ethics crisis in state government and local government, there needs to be serious reform and also serious investigation and thinking by the General Assembly and the governor to straighten things out for the future," Quinn said.

Quinn also agreed with the idea of suspending a lawmaker's pension due to wrongdoing while in or out of office.

"Somebody who has been a public official carries with them when after they've left office a fiduciary duty to the public interest, as a condition of receiving their public pension paid for by taxpayers," Quinn said. "I really feel that that particular issue needs to be examined."

Harmon, who is copied in Quinn's letter, release a statement after Quinn's public request for a special session.

"We appreciate Mr. Quinn’s input and look forward to reviewing his letter. At the end of the day, the people in the ComEd Four trial were convicted because what they did was already, and always has been, illegal," the statement to The Center Square said. "Senate President Harmon will continue to be a champion of ethics. The point he has been trying to drive home is that what we need in public service are good people focused on the state’s welfare rather than their own self-interests."

Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn in Springfield Tuesday
BlueRoomStream

Pritzker's and Welch's offices didn't respond to The Center Square's requests for comment about Quinn's letter.

Later in the day, lawmakers in the Illinois House discussed a resolution reappointing Illinois Legislative Inspector General Michael McCluskey to another term. The LIG investigates misconduct by lawmakers.

State Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, offered McCluskey for reappointment and was supported by others, including Rep. Mike Marron, R-Danville.

"I really feel good about the job he has done in the last year as Legislative Inspector General," Marron said. "I think we need to build off of this positive momentum and have this be a first step to enact real, meaningful ethics reform in this state."

State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, said in order for there to be change, the General Assembly needs to allow McCluskey to do his job.

"We sit here today after one of the most damning ethical trials this chamber has participated in, and yet we still deny the Legislative Inspector General the freedom and the ability to conduct independent investigations into each one of us in this chamber, and the Senate," Keicher said.

Legislators are in session until May 19. It's not clear what other kinds of ethics reforms may surface before then.

Andrew Hensel reports on issues in Chicago and Statewide. He has been with The Center Square News since April of 2021 and was previously with The Joliet Slammers.