* Recently appointed state Rep. Bristow’s (D-Godfrey) ran her very first bill on the House floor today. So, in keeping with tradition, Rep. Breen was giving the sponsor a bit of a hard time in a mostly good-natured way and then she spoke without thinking. Oops…

“Does Monica Bristow honestly believe that she, Madigan, and her fellow Democrat colleagues deserve a pay raise? If anything, they deserve a pay cut after all the damage they’ve done to Illinois. Monica Bristow is the worst kind of politician - one who is in it for the money, not the middle class.” - Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

Moments ago on the floor of the Illinois House, 111th District Democratic State Rep. Monica Bristow made a stunning admission and said she hopes lawmakers get pay raises next year:

“Hopefully if this body [the Illinois House] and the Senate gets its act together, we will be able to have our revenue exceeding expenditures and we’ll all get raises.”

Bristow made the comments during floor debate on her bill, HB5760, which sets mileage reimbursement rates and prohibits cost-of-living adjustments for lawmakers.

House Republican Floor Leader Peter Breen countered, “I don’t know that you were supposed to go on record and say every member of the General Assembly should get a raise.”

Bristow then said “I do believe…,” before she was cut off and voting commenced on the bill.

Monica Bristow is the worst kind of politician - one who is in it for the money, not the middle class.

If you watch the video, Bristow was gamely parrying questions about her bill to kill off the automatic cost of living increase for legislators this year. It’s the sort of bill given to targeted members (her Democratic predecessor won by just 5 points in 2016) every year to help their reelection campaigns. And while she appeared to be just making a funny quip, that one’s probably gonna sting.

* The Question: Monica Bristow campaign slogans?