• About Us
  • Write For Us
  • Advertising
  • Support
  • Contact Us
March 30, 2023 11:00 pm CDT
LISTEN LIVE:
No Result
View All Result
Heartland Newsfeed
728x90 Explore Twitch Services
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Illinois
    • Local
      • Capital Area
      • East Central Illinois
      • West Central Illinois
    • Regional
      • Chicagoland
      • Metro-East
      • Northern Illinois
      • Quad Cities
      • Southern Illinois
    • Obits
    • Executive Watch
    • Legislative Watch
    • Road Conditions
      • Illinois
    • Weather Closings
      • Central Illinois
  • Missouri
    • Regional
      • Northeastern Missouri
      • East Central Missouri
      • St. Louis Metro
      • Southeast Missouri
    • Executive Watch
    • Legislative Watch
    • Weather Closings
      • Greater STL Metro (IL/MO)
    • Road Conditions
      • Missouri
  • Weather
  • National
  • World
  • Sports
    • Basketball
      • NBA
    • Bowling
    • Boxing
    • Football
      • Arena Football
      • CFL
      • NFL
      • XFL
      • USFL
    • Golf
      • PGA
    • Hockey
      • NAHL
      • NHL
    • MLB
      • MiLB
    • MMA
      • UFC
    • NCAA
      • Basketball
      • Football
    • Olympics
    • Preps
    • Racing
      • Horse Racing
      • NASCAR
    • Soccer/Futbol
      • Bundesliga
      • Champions League
      • FIFA
      • La Liga
      • MLS
      • NWSL
      • Premier League
      • U.S. National Soccer
      • USL
      • USL Championship
    • Tennis
    • Wrestling
      • AEW
      • Independents
      • MLW
      • NJPW
      • NWA
      • ROH
      • WWE
  • Entertainment
    • Crossword
    • News Quiz
  • Opinion
    • Letters To The Editor
    • Editorial
    • Columnists
  • Radio
    • Affiliates
    • Live Video
      • HLNF Live
      • RTMP Direct
    • Network Schedule
    • Network Streams
    • Podcasts
      • Radio Network
      • Podcast Network
  • Features
    • Classifieds
      • Current Ads
      • Job Board
        • Job Listings
        • J2CTalroo
        • Post a Job
        • Receive Alerts
        • ZipSearch
    • Community Calendar
    • News Feeds
      • Statehouse
      • Legislative
      • Breaking News
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Calendar

No products in the cart.

Heartland Newsfeed
No Result
View All Result

Illinois legislative ethics commission under fire for neglecting complaints

Jake Leonard by Jake Leonard
January 5, 2018
in Capital Area Region, Decision 2018, Governmental Watchdogs, Illinois, Illinois Legislative Watch, Life & Style, Local, Politics
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Donate
0

SPRINGFIELD (Heartland Newsfeed) — The ethics commission that oversees the Illinois General Assembly has been hit with a complaint for neglecting to follow through with their duties for years, with the question being, “Who’s going to investigate them?”

A complaint was filed with the Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission and Inspector General Julie Porter on Wednesday by anti-violence advocate Denise Rotheimer, citing that the eight-lawmaker commission broke state statute by failing to appoint an acting legislative inspector general for three years, leaving dozens of complaints unaddressed.

“To allow for that vacancy to remain for three years shows that they are not serious about having these complaints investigated,” Rotheimer said in a statement Thursday.

Illinois state law dictates that the Commission “shall designate an Acting Legislative Inspector General who shall serve until the vacancy is filled.”

Several state lawmakers are cited in Rotheimer’s complaint: Sen. Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills), Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb), Sen. Cristina Castro​ (D-Elgin), Rep. Chad Hays (R-Catlin), Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Lisle), Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), Sen. Karen McConnaughay (R-St. Charles) and Rep. Arthur Turner (D-Chicago).

During the three-year vacancy, complaints in the dozens piled up, with Porter recently telling the commission that only ten of the complaints were valid. Porter further recommended that one of those complaints be disregarded, as the accused lawmaker is no longer in office.

Rep. Hays heatedly chastised another commission member during an Illinois House floor debate about some of the new ethics laws passed, for citing that the commission and its members never made any recommendations for an interim legislative inspector general. Hays added that names were submitted for the post, but no action was made by either party.

“Why should I feel as though they would take my complaint seriously if they allowed that position to remain vacant for three years?” Rotheimer questioned.

Complaints are typically handled in anonymity to protect all involved individuals on both sides of the complaint, but Rotheimer has foregone that in hopes of shedding more light on a process that has been heavily criticized as ineffective and riddled with conflicts of interest in favor of the accused.

Rotheimer currently has a sexual misconduct and harassment complaint against Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) and has requested that commission members with close ties to Silverstein recuse themselves from voting on whether an investigation can proceed with Porter. A split vote by the commission kills off the case, a step that has been criticized by both victims and their representation and lawmakers on the ethics commission.

“There are a lot of people still stuck in the dark, silently suffering because there has been no real reform,” Rotheimer said.

Jake Leonard
Website | + posts

Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.

  • Jake Leonard
    https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/author/admin/
    ROH TV IS BACK: Spoilers for February 25, 2023 tapings
  • Jake Leonard
    https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/author/admin/
    McLean Libertarian Party denounces Normal council's opposition to cannabis dispensary
  • Jake Leonard
    https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/author/admin/
    Ryan Willis released by Battlehawks
  • Jake Leonard
    https://www.heartlandnewsfeed.com/author/admin/
    Ameren Illinois seeks new rate hikes

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Telegram
  • Print
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...
Tags: Arthur TurnerCatlinChad HaysChicagoCristina CastroDemocratDenise RotheimerElginethics commissionGeneral AssemblyIllinoisIllinois General AssemblyIllinois HouseIllinois House of RepresentativesIllinois Legislative Ethics CommissionInspector GeneralIra SilversteinJulie PorterKaren McConnaughayLisleLou LangMacombNorine HammondRep. Arthur TurnerRep. Chad HaysRep. Lou LangRep. Norine HammondRepublicanSen. Cristina CastroSen. Ira SilversteinSen. Karen McConnaughaySen. Michael ConnellySen. Terry LinkSkokieSt. CharlesTerry LinkVernon Hills
Share196Tweet123Share5Send

Discussion about this post

📻 ON AIR NOW

.
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Five things you should know before purchasing auto insurance

    616 shares
    Share 246 Tweet 154
  • Nokomis council passes dumpster ordinance

    543 shares
    Share 217 Tweet 136
  • Illinois to see two gas hikes in 2023

    538 shares
    Share 215 Tweet 135
  • Viola Armstrong, 92, Pana

    531 shares
    Share 212 Tweet 133
  • Leto Voudrie, 83, Moweaqua

    530 shares
    Share 212 Tweet 133

HOURS AND INFO

800 Capps Ave.
Nokomis, IL 62075-1415
admin@heartlandnewsfeed.com
Online all the time 
Office Hours: 8 AM to 8 PM
Newsroom: (217) 569-4230
Listen Line:
(217) 569-4230 ext. 1
Advertising:
(217) 718-5281
After-Hours:
(217) 565-9709 / (217) 565-9273

Sitemap | Published Press | Privacy Policy
Staff Email | Independent Media

LIVE WEBSITE VIEWERS

.
ADVERTISEMENT

DEADLINES

Daily: 11 p.m. Central
Weekend: 11 p.m. Central
Sports: 11 p.m. Central

Upcoming deadlines
NYE/NYD: December 30, 5 p.m. Central

WEBRINGS

Hotline Webring: Previous — Next

Some rights reserved 2017-2023 by Heartland Newsfeed, a subsidiary partnership by Heartland Internet Media Networks and Heartland Media Group of Central Illinois LLC. Content published by Heartland Newsfeed staff is covered by the BipCot NoGov license. This allows use and re-use by anyone except governments and government agents. License on record. JNews theme designed and developed by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • World
    • Science
  • Entertainment
    • Gaming
    • Music
    • Movie
    • Sports
  • Tech
    • Apps
    • Gear
    • Mobile
    • Startup
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Health
    • Travel

Some rights reserved 2017-2023 by Heartland Newsfeed, a subsidiary partnership by Heartland Internet Media Networks and Heartland Media Group of Central Illinois LLC. Content published by Heartland Newsfeed staff is covered by the BipCot NoGov license. This allows use and re-use by anyone except governments and government agents. License on record. JNews theme designed and developed by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

00:00
00:00
WP Radio
WP Radio
OFFLINE LIVE
%d bloggers like this: