* NBC Chicago’s Paris Schutz…
* NBC Chicago…
Democrat Hoan Huynh has no district office, he has missed several votes in Springfield, and constituents say they can’t get in touch with him — despite the fact he’s still collecting his $98,000 taxpayer salary. […]
“People who have serious needs can’t get a hold of him,” [Democratic committeeman for Chicago’s 47th Ward Paul Rosenfeld] said. “He stopped doing his current job as state representative. Stopped going to Springfield, closed his office.” […]
We also spoke with David Zoltan, a disability rights advocate. He says Huynh was the sponsor of a bill he was pushing to protect the right of people with certain medical conditions to wear masks in public, dubbed “Kiki’s Law.” But Huynh wasn’t around to advance his own bill. […]
After several text message exchanges, Rep. Huynh agreed on Friday afternoon to meet with NBC Chicago reporter Paris Schutz to answer questions on the record. He said he responds to all his constituent emails and phone calls.
“I’m very focused on constituent services, we’ve been doing it all year, so it’s my job to make sure we’re focusing on constituent services for my residents,” Huynh said.
The same flyers shown in NBC Chicago’s report were circulating around the district back in May, when Huynh’s name came up in Capitol Fax quite a bit.
After losing his March congressional primary, Rep. Huynh largely disappeared from public view. He missed deadlines to move his bills, his district office phone was disconnected and the office was quietly relocated without any public notice to constituents. Some people around the Statehouse were under the impression it had shut down entirely.
* On The Record…
Rep. Hoan Huynh has missed more votes than most colleagues, present for 67.6% of 1,566 roll calls in the 104th General Assembly. They vote with the Democratic caucus 99.9% of the time. They sponsored 27 bills, 5 of which passed.
* In May, after about a month away from the Statehouse, Huynh’s office issued this statement…
Despite wild rumors and false and malicious posters that have appeared around the district, State Representative Hoan Huynh is still working on behalf of his constituents.
State Representative Hoan Huynh laughed off the false rumors being spread to the media, allegedly by his political opponents. Huynh said, “I am not dead, I am just in Springfield working on behalf of my constituents. I am State Representative until January 2027. I just came out of a tough election and I am not running for anything right now except the voting bells.”
Recently security concerns prompted Huynh to move to a new office that provides a safer environment for both staff and any visiting constituents. The new office address is below. Constituents can call and/or email for any of their needs.
“I want to make it clear to the community, and to the perpetrators of the false rumors, that I am working hard for my community both in Springfield and in Chicago. I will not be bullied out of the commitment that I made to my district. While I won’t be serving another term as State Representative, I am and will be serving out this one.”
There have been people telling reporters that State Representative Huynh had closed his office. While that is technically true, it would be more precise to say that he closed his constituent office in Chicago and moved to a new one.
* I wrote the next day that his press release didn’t address the actual problem…
This embarrassing mess is the result of a lawmaker disappearing after a failed campaign without bothering to communicate clearly with the people he represents. If constituents cannot find your office, cannot reach your office phone and have no idea whether you are showing up to work, maybe the problem is not some random flyer.
Thoughts?
- Squeaker Welch - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 10:25 am:
Anyone want to do some research on how many other reps not returning next year are no shows ?
Wonder if it’s a bigger trend.
They should lose their pay if they don’t show up to work.
- Mad in 13 - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 10:31 am:
https://www.rephoanhuynh.com/office-locations
Still listed on his website as his district office is the WeWork in the Bridgeview Bank building. He does not, and has never, had an office there as Paris and anybody who has gone there can confirm (I have).
He also is costing nonpprofits in his district state money with his complete abdication of responsibility.
Don’t worry though, he has time to work for a billionaire at a bro-ey VC firm…
- Mad in 13 - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 10:33 am:
One of the funnier parts of the Paris piece is that Hoan is just obviously not in the 13th district during that bizarro interview he gives.
Losing elections suck as anyone in this business knows. But Hoan has to suck it up and do his job.
- Also Mad in 13 - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 10:39 am:
I will never understand why people supported this guy as a “progressive.” Every time I have met him, he just oozed Ivy League inauthenticity (while pretending that said Ivy League education somehow magically gave him policy chops). Can he just go back to California now?
- Chicago Voter - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 10:50 am:
Does the Speaker have some responsibility here? I would hope when his members “go missing” or miss too many votes, he would try to get them in line.
- Amalia - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 11:01 am:
Progessive. But won’t or can’t do the job. Sad.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Sep 14, 26 @ 11:02 am:
Step down if you can’t even go through the motions. We deserve better.