* Will Stephens had retiring Rep. Dave McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) on his WXAN Radio show today. Here’s McSweeney…

Will, thanks for having me on. Always an adventure in the state of Illinois. We have a new scandal that’s breaking in the capital. There was a cover-up about member misconduct. That’s not Jack Franks, it’s actually an issue that I’ve been focused on since last May. There was a buried report by the Legislative Inspector General about wrongdoing. The Ethics Commission that’s made up of other members buried the report. I’ve been calling on Jim Durkin to tell us what he knows about it. The chairman of the commission is on his leadership team and we have way too many scandals in this state. We need to fight corruption and we need to start with the General Assembly.

As everyone knows, McSweeney and Franks worked together on several bills. McSweeney, like most everyone else, didn’t know what was going on when the investigation was announced. Instead of focusing on Franks, though, he went after Durkin. And he went even further in a statement to me this week…

It’s time for Jim Durkin to come clean about improper activity that he is aware of. Specifically, I call on Jim Durkin to release all personnel files on John Anthony, Ron Sandack and Nick Sauer. We must be the party of transparency.

* Here’s Will from later in the program…

I asked this question here many times over the last few months, and that is: Of what benefit is Mike Madigan as Speaker of the Illinois House? Of what benefit does he provide Illinois Democratic elected officials at this point? Now that there is so much scandal swirling around and it seems as if the federal authorities are moving ever closer to him, day by day, how much longer can he hold on to that position? And what benefit is it to Democrats for him to hold on to that position?

* McSweeney’s response and interchange…

What we need to do as a party is stand for something so that we can actually take control of the Statehouse. That’s what I have been focused on, a message of lower taxes, less spending, real reform. Instead, we have leadership of Jim Durkin, who supported doubling the gas tax, was part of a cover-up now with legislator misconduct, has been there for 25 years. And we have Bill Brady in the Senate who actually makes money as a quote unquote consultant for video poker interests.

So to answer your question, I’m focused on getting the Republican Party to pick up seats, but we need to change our leadership on top. And that’s what I’ve been fighting for, for a long time. We need to stand for something. That’s what I have been fighting for, again, lower taxes, less spending, real reform. That’s what we need. And I have the specific plan around that, cutting the tax rates and reducing the property tax levies and reforming Medicaid and public employee pensions. So to answer your question specifically, the way things could change is if the Republican Party stands for something, we change leaders, and we take control of the House, that’s what I’m focused on.

Stephens: Yeah, I understand that and you’ve been clear about your positions, but this is just a conundrum that a person that thinks about Illinois and politics from time to time doesn’t quite understand, I guess.

McSweeney: Well, let me let me try to explain from my view. Jim Durkin just presided over losing seven seats, complete incompetence. Anybody else would be fired for that situation. And that just strengthens the power of the Democrats.

So until we turn that around, nothing’s going to change, meaning we change our leadership in Springfield and we focus on picking up seats. That’s the power. … But what we need to do is we need to pick up 60 seats, that’s the math. And in order to pick up 60 seats, we need to stand for something as a party and that’s what I’m focused on.

Stephens: Can the Illinois Republican Party stand for something as long as you know… I guess what the question I’m trying to ask, is the leadership currently, can it be reformed? Or does it have to be replaced in your opinion?

McSweeney: Well, it’s a joke. The only guy who makes any sense is Richard Porter, the Republican National Committeeman. [ILGOP Chairman] Schneider is a joke. Durkin and Brady are clowns who’ve been around forever.

McSweeney is retiring from the House to prepare a possible 2022 bid for US Senate.

* I asked the House GOP for a statement. Here’s Eleni Demertzis…

We wish Rep. McSweeney well on his upcoming retirement.