3 Area Lawmakers Approve Provision To Recall Elected Officials

April 9th, 2008 at 08:43am Andrea Zimmermann

Three of four legislators from the Rock River Valley voted Tuesday for a constitutional amendment to allow voters to recall their elected officials.

In a 75-33 vote, Rep. Chuck Jefferson, D-Rockford, was the lone area lawmaker to vote against the proposal, which still must clear the Senate and the governor. Then the question would be put on the ballot for the voters to decide.

But the obstacles this amendment faces in the Senate cannot be ignored. House sponsor, Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, has openly said the momentum behind this provision stems from increasing dissatisfaction with Gov. Rod Blagojevich. This wouldn’t be the first time that Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, has protected Blagojevich from legislation like this.

Here’s the background on the recall amendment.

Rep. Dave Winters, R-Shirland, spoke during Tuesday’s debate in favor of a proposed amendment.

“This is a do-over for the public,” Winters said in the House chamber. “I do encourage this body to approve the recall provision. … I trust the public’s maturity.”

Winters supported the recall, and many of his House colleagues on Tuesday agreed, voting for the proposal 75-33.

Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, opposed the legislation, saying the current impeachment process is sufficient. She said a recall amendment gives too much power to special interest groups and those who oppose elected officials.

“(Having a recall amendment) raises the specter of a permanent election cycle,” she said. “It gives them a second, third, a fourth bite at the apple, what’s the sense in that?”

Last week, the chamber talked about this amendment as well. The debate so infuriated Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, who is known as the governor’s chief ally in the House., that his words sent a ruffle through the statehouse.

“End the cycle of finger-pointing,” Hoffman said. “Stop the bull****!”

Entry Filed under: Dave Winters, Rod Blagojevich