* I’ve been covering this in the subscriber section for a while now, but let’s discuss it here today. From Friday…
The only Democratic state representative to not vote for House Speaker Michael Madigan for another leadership term says she plans to file a complaint for what she says is retaliation.
State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Naperville, said her House Bill 1474 to give rights to those who file complaints to the Legislative Inspector General against state lawmakers or their staff has hit roadblock after roadblock.
“I had been informed that my bill had a ‘do not call’ designation on it and that they were going to try and use bureaucracy to kill the bill and that’s exactly what’s happening,” Stava-Murray said. “But I’m not going to let it go down without a fight.”
Her measure was put into a subcommittee where she was first told it was unconstitutional. She said she worked with several organizations to modify the measure to bring their opposition to neutral. She said she was then told her measure was being lumped in with other bills to address ethics complaints at the statehouse, but she didn’t trust that process because it would take control of the legislation out of her hands.
“I see this as direct retribution for my vote against the speaker,” Stava-Murray said.
* Yesterday, also from the Illinois News Network…
State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, D-Naperville, was joined by Denise Rotheimer on Wednesday at a news conference to draw attention to House Bill 1474, which had not been called for a hearing.
Rotheimer urged House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, to release the bill.
“Speaker Madigan, you publicly admitted that you failed to protect the people from abuse of power, retaliation, sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination by state officials and employees in your apology letter saying you didn’t do enough. I believed it,” Rotheimer said. “It’s time to remove the flag that you put on House Bill 1474 and allow the people who file ethics complaints [to have] rights.” […]
Stava-Murray said she was first told her bill was unconstitutional. Then she was told it was being included along with other measures to address ethics in Springfield.
“It’s an established tactic” to kill a bill, Stava-Murray said. “It seems like legitimately they’re going to try and put something together, what that actually looks like is completely opaque and does not seem like it will be a very transparent system beyond those who are active in the working group.”
* Press release…
Majority Leader Greg Harris, Assistant Majority Leader Natalie Manley and Majority Conference Chair Kathleen Willis released the following statement Wednesday:
“A number of members have filed bills related to ethics and human rights issues in this legislative session. As members of the Legislative Ethics Commission, Representatives Manley and Willis believe these individual bills are best considered in a comprehensive approach. They have taken the initiative of using the variety of ideas introduced in these bills to develop a thoughtful approach to these issues.
“The individual sponsors of these bills—including Representative Stava-Murray—have been invited to be a part of this process.
“This is not a unique approach; over the years, we have used this process to develop thoughtful and impactful legislative solutions to large and complex challenges, including bills related to the Medicaid program, energy and utilities, and bills with a significant impact on the state budget, among other issues.”
* Back to INN…
Stava-Murray said she didn’t want to work with Willis on the bill because she felt Willis bullied her for not supporting Madigan for another term as House Speaker.
A spokesperson for Willis couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. […]
“What we’re most concerned about here is a sort of usurpation of democracy,” Stava-Murray said of the process. “Instead of that being a collaborative process, it’s looking like to be more of a closed off process with a very specified leader who’s known to be close to the Speaker.”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:32 am:
s/ I never knew legislators were guaranteed votes on their bills. I can’t believe Republicans haven’t been asserting their rights for all these years. /s
- Montrose - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:33 am:
If she can demonstrate how her ethics bill is being treated differently from other ethics bills, then she might have an argument. Until then, it borders on conspiracy theory.
- TopHatMonocle - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:34 am:
Last time I checked, it’s hard to pass bills if you refuse to work with other Reps.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:35 am:
Stava-Murray gonna Stava-Murray
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:36 am:
Bet that district can’t wait for the next election already.
- Someone you should know - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:39 am:
She’s never going to understand, and her district will be hurt the most……….
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:39 am:
*If* she’s right, that’s awfully petty on Madigan’s part.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:40 am:
If I were Durkin, or an opponent of the graduated income tax amendment, I would be saying nice things about Stava-Murray.
Although she said she supported the concept during her campaign, I suspect she might be an amendable to an argument that current GA leadership can’t be trusted with it.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:43 am:
The Showboat Caucus
of
One
supported by Mother Perfidy herself.
Solipsism’s Finest hour
- PublicServant - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 10:50 am:
She seems to be a victim of her own victimhood.
- Steve - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 11:00 am:
This seems to be the method of Stava-Murray. Don’t like the outcome, so complain to some authority figure.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 11:05 am:
She’s just gonna love working with Mitch McConnell when she’s in the Senate
- JS Mill - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 11:06 am:
=“What we’re most concerned about here is a sort of usurpation of democracy,”=
I am not sure she understand the meaning of democracy. or representative democracy in this case. She is one against the many and this is politics.
She seems to be leaning toward the” I am special and should get what I want” kind of thing.
- Flat Bed Ford - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 11:10 am:
AS-M is the poster child for white privilege. Avery-Coonley grade school, Benet Academy for high school and Dartmouth for college. After all of that she didn’t learn how not to throw sand at others in the sandbox yet wonders why no one wants to play with her.
- Medvale School for the Gifted - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 11:31 am:
Next up:
S-M holds press conference to announce that she is going to hold her breath and refuse to eat her vegetables until everybody quits picking on her.
- Upstate Illinois - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 11:47 am:
I know Murray gets a lot of crap on here from readers, but there is something to be said for someone who is coming in here swinging at Madigan and standing up strongly for what she believes are important reforms to the way that business is done in Springfield.
Seems like everyone has been wanting Democrat lawmakers to stand up to Madigan, and here she is doing it.
- Soccermom - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 12:00 pm:
When you stand up in the front of thsThe stage, it’s a good idea to look and see who is uploading. If I were Ann Stava Murray, I would feel uncomfortable about the people who were cheering me on. They seem completely completely opposed to all the things she believes in.
- theCardinal - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 12:15 pm:
Elections and Votes have consequences the new rep is learning this. Just because you don’t like the process does not mean it’s wrong. Wondering if this will be her modus operandi the rest of her ILGA career or if she will learn the process is not all about her and her perceptions of the process.
- OutOfState - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 12:24 pm:
I used to work on similar bills in the GA (before AS-M arrived). I’ve heard the unconstitutional argument more than once. Honestly, some of those concerns are well-founded.
When it comes down to it though, everyone wanted to move slowly because no one wanted to seem against ethics reform but no one was sure about making it easier to investigate (and/or humiliate) legislators and staffers. Some of them had good-faith concerns about weaponized investigations, some of them were concerned about dirty laundry. So no, it’s not retribution. That’s just how it is.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 12:53 pm:
She should hire Drury as a consultant to help her make friends and influence her fellow legislators.
- #clearlythisissnark - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 1:01 pm:
I nominate Representative Stave-Murray for the Golden Horseshoe for participation.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 1:02 pm:
The bill (HB 1474) has 20 co-sponsors (all Dems), and she filed an amendment Tuesday which was assigned to committee yesterday. At this point, it seems a bit premature to say it isn’t going anywhere.
- twowaystreet - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 2:41 pm:
==The bill (HB 1474) has 20 co-sponsors (all Dems), and she filed an amendment Tuesday which was assigned to committee yesterday. At this point, it seems a bit premature to say it isn’t going anywhere. ==
She has also lost two co-sponsors since her statement.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
Linking to INN so much is really bringing down the value…
- frustrated GOP - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 4:40 pm:
ok, so you come out against the leader of the party, announce you are running against one of the top democrats in the US Senate in the primary, and you won’t work with others to combine a bill to be part of it? oh and your new.
She needs to go see Hamilton, or get a clue, or maybe just leave this whole legislative thing to people who have a clue.
I’m going to guess if she get through the primary, there are going to be a lot of union guys working for the GOP in Naperville next year.
- Bourbon Street - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 5:02 pm:
And here I thought we had seen the last of Rotheimer in Springfield. What’s that saying about a bad penny? Sigh.
- An American - Thursday, Mar 28, 19 @ 5:16 pm:
Does she have to choose between running for Senate and IL legislature or can she run for both in the primary?