SE Illinois News

State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) issues warnings about what he thinks Springfield Democrats have now deteriorated into, having been in their leadership roles for decades. 

“Our founding fathers warned us about lawmakers granting themselves entitlements and how that dooms the whole system to fail,” Bailey told the SE Illinois News. “That’s what we’re seeing right now in Springfield with all the massive corruption.”

With that, Bailey is now throwing his support behind a GOP proposal that would allow voters the authority to initiate the recall of their elected officials. While the ability for voters to recall the governor has been on the books for more than a decade, Bailey charges the scene in Springfield now demands that voters have much greater recall powers.

Currently, longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan finds himself at the center of a still unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme in which bribes were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation. At the same, whispers of dissent about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis are becoming more audible by the day.

“Just like term limits, a plan like this is much-needed,” Bailey added. “I support it and I think in this day and age it’s more necessary than it ever has been.”

Put forth by state Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) and state Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), the proposal would require voters from at least 25 counties across the state to sign off on a recall petition. In addition, a bipartisan group of current state representatives and senators must also endorse the action.

Finally, to start the recall process against statewide lawmakers, the plan would require signatures from 12 percent of the voters who cast votes for governor in the prior election. The issue would require the vote of at least 60 percent of all voters in order for an official to be shown the door via the recall process.

“We have to get in session to have any chance of changing things,” Bailey added. “I believe if Republicans do a good job of making people aware of what’s going on they’re ready for the change that needs to happen.”