The Illinois House voted Thursday along party lines to approve retired federal judge Michael McCuskey to be new Legislative Inspector General.

Majority Democrats approved McCuskey’s appointment despite McCuskey lacking approval by the bipartisan Legislative Ethics Commission responsible for recommending candidates for the position. Yesterday, House Republicans voted either no or present to approve the appointment despite McCuskey being a popular choice.

Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer says it doesn’t matter who the General Assembly appoints to the position, the title holder doesn’t have any actual teeth to do their job: “Until we get serious in this body about ethics reform, it doesn’t matter if we appoint Mother Teresa to that position. It doesn’t matter if we appoint Jesus Christ himself to that position, because this body has taken the power away from that position. This body has just recently under the guise of ethics reform.”

Davidsmeyer is referring to SB 539 passed in the Summer 2021 by both chambers of the General Assembly. Republicans argued the bill stripped the powers of the LIG. Democrats and some Republican voted in favor of the bill, but did admit more work needed to be done on ethics reform. Under the bill, Republicans argued the LIG would be prohibited from beginning an investigation into a lawmaker’s conduct unless someone first filed a complaint with the office and also limit the jurisdiction to matters arising out of government service and conduct. The bill also left out the LIG’s independence to issue subpoenas for investigations or the ability to publish reports that implicate or vindicate lawmakers without prior approval from the General Assembly’s ethics commission.

Davidsmeyer also echoed other GOP concerns that Democrats bypassed the process laid out in Illinois statute when it comes to the appointment of the position: “Would you assume that if we create a committee, that the individual should go through that committee, or do we just create it just for the heck of it? So my point here is we need to fill this position, but we need to get serious about ethics reform in this place, right? I’m sure you are tired of people walking around saying ‘You’re just a politician…one of those dirty politicians’ because we are not serious about holding ourselves and our colleagues accountable. Until we get there, it doesn’t matter who we put in this position.”

McCuskey’s appointment was approved by the House 77-16, with 19 members voting present and 6 members not voting.

McCuskey was nominated to become a federal judge by former President Bill Clinton in 1998 after presiding over cases for the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court and Third District Appellate Court. He served on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois from 1998 to 2014. McCuskey returned as a judge for the Tenth Judicial Circuit Court from 2014 to 2020. He also served 15 years on the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. McCuskey told The Illinoize yesterday that neither Senate President Don Harmon or House Speaker Chris Welch contacted him until after the vote was cast to tell him he had been selected for the position. In questions about his politics, McCuskey said: ” Judges don’t talk about partisan politics. We’re talking about what we do as judges. Justice Rehnquist picked me for a national committee. Justice Roberts appointed me for another committee. They don’t pick people on politics. I didn’t get here without having a lot of Republican friends. I was elected circuit judge twice in a county that doesn’t have any Democrats. I’m down the middle, I’ve always been.”

McCuskey replaces Carol Pope who left the job on January 6th. Pope noted in her July 2021 resignation letter that lawmakers did nothing to help her with investigations during the 2020 legislative session. Pope called the office “a paper tiger” in the letter, saying that the most recent round of ethics reforms did little to nothing to empower the position to investigate any legislator accused of wrongdoing while in office.

A major endorsement in the Illinois Secretary of State race was given Thursday.

Multi-term incumbent Jesse White, who is not seeking reelection after more than two decades in office, announced his endorsement of current Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia.

Valencia is one of at least three Democrats hoping to succeed White, a group that also includes former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Valencia has also gotten endorsements from Illinois U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.

Valencia told WMAY that she hopes to become the first woman to fill the office in the state’s history. White noted in his endorsement that Valencia has helped to modernize the Chicago City Clerk’s office during her tenure.

White and Valencia are expected to campaign tomorrow together in Chicago.

A federal judge today declined to toss federal charges against four members of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle, rejecting arguments in a key ruling seven months ahead of a scheduled trial.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber issued a 25-page opinion that nevertheless required the feds to identify false statements made amid an alleged eight-year scheme prosecutors say was designed to curry favor with Madigan.

Madigan confidant Michael McClain of Quincy, ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, ex-top ComEd lobbyist John Hooker, and former Chicago City Club president Jay Doherty were charged in a federal indictment in November 2020.

The four have been accused of arranging for Madigan’s associates and allies to get jobs, contracts, and money in order to influence Madigan while key legislation worked its way through Springfield in favor of the energy giant.

Madigan has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing. The scandal helped to end his record-setting tenure as Illinois House speaker. He has repeatedly been referred to in charging documents in ComEd’s deferred prosecution agreement with the federal court as “Public Official A.”

A hearing in the case against McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker, and Doherty is set for March 23rd. A trial in the case is set for September 12th in Illinois’ North District federal court.

Two area school districts appear to be joining many around the state going mask-optional.

Greenfield and Franklin have announced or are soon to be implementing mask-optional policies in the wake of n Illinois appeals court dismissing Governor J.B. Pritzker’s appeal of a ruling allowing masks to be optional for several Illinois school districts.

Superintendent of Greenfield CUSD #10 Kevin Bowman made the announcement on Friday to parents and on the school’s Facebook Page. Franklin’s School Board is set to vote on the mask-opitional policy to remain in place for the remainder of the year at their Wednesday night board meeting.

Over 500 districts in the state have implemented mask-optional policies since Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow issued a temporary restraining order earlier this month against districts named in a lawsuit brought by parents and students from around the state.

Governor J.B. Pritkzer and Attorney General Kwame Raoul both contend the executive order is still in place and have appeal rulings to the State Supreme Court.

A Jacksonville man was cited by Illinois State Police after striking an ISP squad car on Interstate 72 on Thursday during the extreme winter weather.

At approximately 4:27 p.m. on Thursday, an ISP District 9 Trooper was traveling eastbound on Interstate 72 at Milepost 82 near the New Berlin exit. According to State Police reports, a white 2002 Oldsmobile Alero, driven by 22 year old Cameron T. Withee, of Jacksonville was traveling westbound and struck the ISP squad car. Neither Withee nor the Trooper were injured in the crash. Withee was cited for Driving with a Cancelled, Suspended, or Revoked Illinois License and Driving Too Fast for Conditions. This crash was one of several separate crashes near westbound I-72 near New Berlin around that same time period. The interstate was closed for approximately 6-8 hours while IDOT, local and county police, and ISP cleared the roadway of stranded vehicles and motorists.

The traffic crash was one of five separate incidents in which State Troopers were struck Thursday in response to storms on Illinois’ interstates. ISP also investigated 303 traffic crashes, responded to 827 motorist assists, and over 2,000 calls for service around the state during the recent significant winter storm event. ISP Troopers were assisted by a multitude of law enforcement agencies and personnel across the state to escort stranded motorists to safety and investigate traffic crashes.

ISP District 8 in Pesotum responded to a multi-vehicle crash involving 19 commercial motor vehicles and 9 passenger vehicles on Interstate 39 near El Paso. Dozens of other vehicles slid off the roadway and were stranded. Interstate 39 from Normal to Minonk was closed for nearly 24 hours while ISP Troopers and multiple local law enforcement agencies and other first responders assisted to ensure motorists were safely escorted to a warming center. I-39 reopened for full traffic late yesterday evening.

The Illinois House devolved into a mass of political theater yesterday, as both political parties fought over House rules surrounding masks being worn (or not) by its members.

9th District Democrat Representative Lakeisa Collins of Chicago raised a motion to have 10 House Republican members to be removed from the House Floor yesterday for refusing to wear masks. It’s the second time this week that Collins has brought the motion. It was originally raised on Wednesday but was withdrawn. Republicans on the House floor allegedly caught pictures of House Democrats in defiance of the mask order on Wednesday prior to withdrawal of the motion.

107th District Representative Blaine Wilhour of Effingham asked Collins to yield to the floor for discussion and questioning prior to the vote being taken yesterday. Collins refused. Wilhour responded by calling it “weak.” In a vote of 66-39, the House voted to remove Wilhour along with Republican Representatives Joe Sosnowski, Toni McCombie, Dan Caulkins, Brad Halbrook, Adam Niemerg, David Welter, David Friess, Chris Miller, and Andrew Chesney from the chamber.

Republican House Leader Jim Durkin and State Representative Mark Batinick of Plainfield found the vote to remove members a bit telling, as they both pointed out the General Assembly had refused to act on any of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s executive orders over the last two years during a short debate about the GOP members’ removal.

Halbrook, Caulkins, Wilhour, Niemerg, and Miller later issued the following statement in a press release about their expulsion: “For the third day in a row, we refused to comply with the House mask mandate because of our commitment to highlight the unnecessary school mask mandate and because we are tired of rules and policies that don’t make any sense. This time the Democrat majority followed through with their threat to remove us from the House floor and we were forced to vote on bills remotely instead of in person on the House floor.

“At one point House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch stated that there were more important things to do than spend time on the House floor debating masks. His statement illustrates how out of touch the Democrat majority is when it comes to the frustration of parents across the state of Illinois. These parents are tired of the cruelty brought on their children with these senseless mask mandates at schools. They are tired and frustrated and they want someone to listen to them. What can be more important than the concerns of parents about what is happening to their children?

“Our message to Illinois parents is simple. We are listening to you. We stand with you, and we support you. The Democrats are feeling the heat because the public has had enough of the two years of the mandates and the disregard for their concerns. We must be resolved now more than ever to return Illinois to normalcy. We are going to keep fighting for your rights as parents to make healthcare decisions for your kids and we hope you will keep fighting too.”

McCombie refused to leave the chamber and was eventually allowed to stay for the remainder of the evening where the House voted to approve new Legislative Inspector General Judge Michael McCluskey. McCombie did not record a vote on the bill. McCombie later said her key was removed and she wasn’t allowed to vote.

House Speaker Chris Welch accused Republicans of slowing down the legislative process at the end of the McCluskey debate: “Let’s slow everything down, like we saw here today. And yesterday. When we know it’s committee deadline week. And we’re here on the floor arguing about House rules that have been in place for two years. Arguing about something as simple as putting on a mask to protect the health and well-being of everyone in this chamber. Why are we arguing about masks today? Slow everything down to bring this place to a halt.” Welch said the argument would stop in the coming days of session.

Later in the day, attorney Thomas DeVore, who has a temporary restraining order against the governor’s mask mandates in schools, filed suit against House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch in Bond County Circuit Court. The lawsuit, DeVore told the Center Square, is on behalf of his state Rep. Blaine Whilhour of Beecher City, and himself as an individual.

According to Capitol Fax, the House adjourned this morning after a brief session until Tuesday before taking any votes. Three of the of the ejected members from yesterday: Freiss, Wilhour, and Sosnowski were given excused absences.

The first pieces of the Washington Elementary School renovation project took place Wednesday night at the District 117 School Board meeting.

The board approved a bid of $59,000 for asbestos abatement in the school’s hallways for M&O Environmental Company out of Peoria. The work will take place over spring break this year, with further asbestos abatement set to take place over the summer in classrooms and other high-traffic areas of the school.

Other portions of the project were met with delays. District Consultant Bob Roads says that supply chain issues have caused things to get backed up sooner than expected: “The district’s main project has been delayed a week. It’s now going to be opened a week from today. I think the reason for that is probably twofold. One was the decision by the board, which I think was a good decision, to provide temporary classrooms which allow construction project to proceed through next Fall, which I think will substantially reduce the cost of the project and probably open it up to more bidders.”

The bids for the general contractor and the modular classrooms placed to the south of JMS will occur in the middle of next week. The modular classrooms will be used for the duration of the Washington Elementary project and then, for Eisenhower Elementary students when their renovation project is being completed.

The board also approved seeking bids for three pole lights for the east side teacher’s parking lot at JMS. The electricity wires will be ran underneath the drive and provide light on an otherwise completely dark lot. Superintendent Steve Ptacek suggested that when the electricity conduit is ran underneath the drive for the light poles that ethernet and/or broadband cables can be ran at the same time to have for the modular classrooms once they are installed.