* Press release…

State Representative Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), who serves as the minority spokesperson on the Special Investigating Committee II, released the following statement:

“At last week’s meeting of the Special Investigating Committee, a motion to subpoena key witnesses was ruled out of order by Chairman Welch, and no vote of the committee was taken. After the meeting, we sent copies of the requested subpoenas to Chairman Welch for his review. Still now, a week later, he has not responded nor issued any subpoenas.

Instead, Chairman Welch sent a letter to ComEd requesting a data dump of all communications in the last decade between ComEd or Exelon and any staff member, employee, contractor, or consultant of Governors Quinn, Rauner, and Pritzker, Senate Presidents Cullerton and Harmon, Senate Minority Leaders Radogno and Brady, House Minority Leaders Cross and Durkin, and Speaker Madigan—only one of whom is actually identified in the Deferred Prosecution Agreement. This request involves hundreds of people and could take months for ComEd to respond.

In contrast, I requested from ComEd documents directly related to the DPA—documents they acknowledged during testimony in last week’s meeting. Since the Special Investigating Committee was created by a petition with a specific charge about Speaker Madigan, and with direct references to the DPA, I believe it is appropriate for the committee to call witnesses and request documents that are relevant to the committee’s charge.”

* From Chairman Welch…

“Since Republicans initiated the Special Investigating Committee, Democratic members have sought a cooperative and collegial process. We promptly made appointments, scheduled hearings, contacted the U.S. Attorney, and invited every Republican-requested witness to come before the committee. The first of which led to more than four hours of public questioning of a ComEd representative last week.

“Throughout this process, however, we have been made well aware that our Republican colleagues are wearing two hats. While sitting on a committee that is charged with conducting an impartial investigation based on the petition filed by Leader Durkin, the Republican members of this committee are also engaged in competitive political campaigns in which they have chosen to campaign almost exclusively against the Speaker. Nowhere was this more clear than yesterday when two Republican members of the Special Investigating Committee held a campaign press conference effectively confirming their assumption of guilt and chiding Democratic opponents for not jumping to the same conclusion.

“At every step of this process, our cooperation has been accompanied with the proviso that we will not allow this committee to be used as a stage for political theater – an admonishment our Republican colleagues appear to have taken more as a challenge than as a reflection of this committee’s serious work.

“The committee will meet again in person on November 5 in Springfield – without the backdrop of a political campaign. In the interim, the committee’s work continues; we are reaching out to attorneys for Fidel Marquez to arrange his testimony, and engaging in a thorough review of our subpoena power, so members of this committee can make a fully informed decision and set responsible precedent for years to come.

“Additionally, Republican members have requested documents from ComEd related to its communications with Speaker Madigan or individuals purported to be acting on his behalf, and Democrats have requested more information related to ComEd’s hiring and oversight of lobbyists and consultants. This information provides critical context for the committee’s work. We cannot conduct a thorough investigation with blinders on; if we are to consider whether ComEd’s admissions in the deferred prosecution agreement constitute conduct unbecoming of a lawmaker, we need to understand the full extent of ComEd’s actions – including interactions with other elected officials instrumental to the passage of their legislation.”

…Adding… Response soon…

MEDIA ADVISORY: House Republicans to Discuss Special Investigating Committee

WHO: State Representatives Tom Demmer (R-Dixon), Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) and Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville)

WHAT: House Republicans members of the Special Investigating Committee will discuss details of the Special Investigating Committee.

WHEN: 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2020