House Speaker Michael Madigan filed paperwork yesterday to initiate the process of removing arrested Representative Luis Arroyo from the Illinois House. Per a press release and statement he read to the press yesterday in Springfield, Madigan said that he would have Representatives Fred Crespo, Justin Slaughter and Barbara Hernandez serving on an investigative committee to prepare the articles of expulsion.
The announcement of Arroyo’s arrest hit Springfield Monday morning immediately following a House Republican press conference announcing legislation for an Ethics Reform Task Force. 100th District Republican Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer says it should be obvious to everyone that Springfield is in dire need of ethics reform. “The problem is that a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch. Those of us here in Springfield who are trying to do the right thing are held back funded by those individuals getting money or kickbacks for specific things. The reality is that the majority of us are doing the right thing as lawmakers.”
Davidsmeyer said he doesn’t trust Democrats to handle the entire process fairly: “We’re seeing the majority pretend like they are going to be the police, and they have been sitting here watching it happening right under their noses. The reality is we are pushing from the minority, which is very difficult, to make sure that real ethics reform does happen so this does not happen ever again.”
The investigative committee is slated to meet for the first time on Friday to begin the removal process. Arroyo allegedly bribed a State Senator to support a bill and was caught by federal investigators on tape doing so, as well as participating in illegal lobbying done by a firm he owns. Savanna Republican Tony McCombie along with other House Republicans are sponsoring House Joint Resolution 87 to create a bipartisan task force to start ethics reform and enforce ethics laws in the General Assembly. The act is expected to be voted on during the veto session within the next two weeks.