* Background is here if you need it. House Minority Leader Tony McCombie…
This morning, 11 members of the Illinois House Republican Caucus filed a petition to initiate a Special Investigating Committee concerning State Representative Carol Ammons.
The petition, submitted pursuant to House Rule 91, seeks to establish a Special Investigating Committee to review allegations of misconduct involving Rep. Ammons. Ammons was indicted earlier this week on multiple counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
The people of Illinois deserve elected officials who respect the public trust, follow the law, and are held accountable when serious allegations arise. When a sitting member of the General Assembly faces federal criminal charges, the institution has a responsibility to ensure a transparent and thorough review.
This Special Investigative Committee process is about accountability and ensuring the Illinois House fully examines the allegations involving an elected official and determine whether further action is warranted. The allegations against Rep. Ammons are serious and require a full and impartial review by the legislative body in which she serves.
The petition was signed by the following House Republican members:
Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer
Rep. Amy Elik
Rep. Jason Bunting
Rep. Regan Deering
Rep. Bradley Fritts
Rep. Brad Halbrook
Rep. Nicole La Ha
Rep. Chris Miller
Rep. Kyle Moore
Rep. Tom Weber
Rep. Blaine Wilhour
The people of Illinois should never have to question whether those entrusted with public office are putting their own interests ahead of the taxpayers they serve. The Special Investigating Committee process represents an important step toward accountability and ensuring the Illinois House takes these allegations seriously.
House Republicans will continue advocating for transparency, accountability, and reforms that ensure elected officials are held responsible for their actions and that Illinois taxpayers can trust their government.
Today’s petition filing now initiates the formation of a committee with three members appointed by both Speaker Welch and Leader McCombie.
* Three signatures automatically trigger the special investigating committee. From House Rule 91…
91. Special Investigating Committee.
(a) Disciplinary proceedings may be commenced by filing with the Speaker and the Minority Leader a petition, signed by 3 or more members of the House, for a special investigating committee. The petition shall contain the alleged charge or charges that, if true, may subject the member named in the petition to disciplinary action by the House and may include any other factual information that supports the charge or charges.
(b) Upon filing the petition, a special investigating committee consisting of 6 members shall be created. The Speaker shall appoint 3 members from the majority caucus and the Minority Leader shall appoint 3 members from the minority caucus. The Speaker shall appoint the Chairperson from among the 6 members. Members signing the petition may not be appointed to the special investigating committee. The contents of a petition for a special investigating committee shall be confidential until the appointment of all members except as to the member named, the members signing it, the Speaker, the Minority Leader, and the members of a special investigating committee.
And from there, the case can be sent to a Select Committee on Discipline. A resolution to expel Ammons would need an “affirmative vote of 79 members elected.”
[Isabel Miller contributed to this post.]
…Adding… Illinois Freedom Caucus…
Illinois Freedom Caucus members State Representatives Chris Miller, Blaine Wilhour, and Brad Halbrook have signed a petition pursuant to House Rule 91 to establish a Special Investigating Committee following the recent federal indictment of House Democrat Representative Carol Ammons.
House Rule 91 provides a mechanism for the Illinois House to investigate matters involving the conduct of its members. The Freedom Caucus believes the seriousness of the allegations warrants a thorough and transparent review by the House.
“The people of Illinois deserve accountability. They deserve transparency. The federal charges against Democrat Representative Carol Ammons are serious, and should be addressed openly and appropriately,” the members said. “A Special Investigating Committee is the proper venue to ensure the House fulfills its responsibility to protect the public trust. It is our hope Speaker Welch will agree, and move quickly to allow this committee to move forward and get the answers our constituents deserve.”
The petition has been signed by 11 House Republicans.
…Adding… News-Gazette…
“Public service is built on trust, and I do not take that responsibility lightly,” Carol Ammons said in a statement Friday morning. “I want to be clear: I have done nothing wrong, and I strongly disagree with the allegations outlined in this indictment. I have complete confidence that the facts will demonstrate my innocence, and I intend to vigorously defend myself through the judicial process.”
About 45 minutes after his wife released her statement, Aaron Ammons provided similar comments.
“I want to state emphatically that I am not guilty of any such offenses,” he said. “I will work with my retained attorney to mount a robust defense against the charges levied against me and I am confident that the facts will prove my innocence.”
- Pundent - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 12:40 pm:
It’s good to see Republicans calling out corruption on the public’s dime. But don’t stop here.
- Timber Cove Chillin - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 12:42 pm:
It’s sad that part of what elevated Speaker Welch to his current position was him being chair of the MJM investigative committee which many have accused of being farcical. Bear with me and make that given, why does the house GOP think the current minority investigative powers are sufficient? The freedom caucus statement says that investigative committees as currently administered are a proper venue.
- JS Mill - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 12:48 pm:
The ilgop and national gop are a joke as it pertains to ethics and law and order.
Are they going to get in the way of the feds?
Clowns.
- OneMan - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 12:50 pm:
This seems like the sort of thing the Dems should have done themselves.
A bit of an own goal here
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 12:53 pm:
=== Rep. Chris Miller===
Any legislator with any real sense of decency wouldn’t sign a petition with this baffoon on it. Hard to take a letter to be worth more than the stationary it has ruined when you include someone who participated in a attempted coup.
- Sam - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 1:11 pm:
Their president is a convicted felon, but I digress.
- Annonin' - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 1:15 pm:
Show of hands. How many have asked same for TACOt
- Demoralized - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 1:41 pm:
I just don’t know what they hope to accomplish here. She’s not going to cooperate with a federal indictment hanging over her head and the feds aren’t going to give them any of the evidence that they have. It’s a waste of time right now.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 1:53 pm:
===She’s not going to cooperate ===
So what?
They can kick her out of the House with or without her cooperation. All you need is the votes.
- About Time - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 1:55 pm:
I’m mostly disappointed by Carol and Aaron’s statements. For the good of the offices they were elected to serve, and for the integrity of upcoming elections in Champaign County, they should resign.
They once had a billboard on Neil Street in Champaign that read, “SERVICE IS LOVE.” Their actions now suggest that, to them, public service has become about keeping their paycheck.
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 2:02 pm:
About Time”
Apparently “LOVE” was a code word for “getting gifts”.
- Sue - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 2:09 pm:
Likely the USA is going to request any investigation by the legislature not proceed while the Feds are prosecuting- SOP
- Remember the Alamo II - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 3:12 pm:
=== Likely the USA is going to request any investigation by the legislature not proceed while the Feds are prosecuting- SOP ===
Blago was impeached after he was indicted. Did the Feds tell the House to stop impeachment proceedings because it would interfere with their case?
I think people are being disingenuously deferential to the Feds here when in other cases, such deference would not exist.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 3:19 pm:
===Blago was impeached after he was indicted===
Not only impeached, but removed by the Senate after a trial.
- SAP - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 3:50 pm:
Didn’t the Republicans help Welch out of his trick bag?
The R’s forced the investigation, saving Welch the tough decision between sitting on his hands or rounding up the necessary 60 D votes for Welch to bring an action before the body.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 3:51 pm:
===Didn’t the Republicans help Welch out of his trick bag? ===
I’d say they made it worse by making this a partisan thing.
- green mountain boys - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 3:58 pm:
Yet NO DEMS signed the petition. They sent the message that graft is ok in their party.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 3:51 pm:
===Didn’t the Republicans help Welch out of his trick bag? ===
I’d say they made it worse by making this a partisan thing
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 4:03 pm:
===or rounding up the necessary 60 D votes for Welch to bring an action===
Huh? Only three signatures were required. This stuff is all automatic.
- Juice - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 4:05 pm:
@Rich and Remember the Alamo,
Rod was impeached and removed before he was indicted but after he was arrested. The indictment didn’t come down from the Grand Jury until the April after his arrest.
- SAP - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 4:05 pm:
the 60 votes was intended as sarcasm
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 4:21 pm:
===before he was indicted but after he was arrested.===
My point is that it happened before his trial.
- Just Curious - Friday, Jul 10, 26 @ 4:30 pm:
I thought I read somewhere that if Harry Benton did not withdraw his candidacy, then he could be expelled for the rest of his current term, then be elected and THE HOUSE CANNOT EXPEL ANYONE TWICE.