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Sen. Jones resigns committee chair, vice chair and leadership positions

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Illinois

* If you check Sen. Jones’ ILGA.gov page, you’ll see that he’s also no longer a member of leadership…

Jones resigned his vice chair position because the Public Safety Committee could take up red light cam matters related to his bribery charge.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:09 pm

Comments

I’m sad about this, all of it. It’s just so destructive to the public’s perspective towards government, it’s greedy, and counterproductive to policy development. Just sad.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:25 pm
So did Sen. Jones verbally resign with the boss, Prez. Harmon? It seems like Harmon had to type up the letter to inform the clerk. (I don’t think Jones was in the mood to do the simple task).

Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:37 pm
I wonder if there is a moment in time that the folks that get indicted say to themselves, “I am smarter that that guy that got caught…I will never get caught.” They have to think it. The Feds have had Illinois under a microscope for quite some time.

Comment by Nadigam Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:40 pm
===It seems like Harmon had to type up the letter to inform the clerk===

That would be how these things are done.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:41 pm
Why, what in the world was he thinking? The old adage that you better tell the Feds the truth because they already know the answer seems to be still accurate. This is just sad.

Comment by levivotedforjudy Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:48 pm
===So did Sen. Jones verbally resign with the boss, Prez. Harmon? It seems like Harmon had to type up the letter to inform the clerk. (I don’t think Jones was in the mood to do the simple task).===

There is a difference between resignation from a committee assignment and resignation from the General Assembly. Harmon controls the committee assignments and therefore sends notice to the Secretary of the Senate. When or if Sen. Jones resigns from the Senate, he would send the notice to the Secretary of the Senate as he was elected by the people not appointed by the President of the Senate.

Comment by Nadigam Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 2:50 pm
This is-indeed- just sad.

Comment by West Sider Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:12 pm
Why hasn’t President Harmon asked for and received Hastings’s resignation from his committee leadership positions? Is it ok for a known bully to continue to be in a position of power? It really sends a message to women that things have not changed in the Senate. We all know Jen Walling isn’t alone. She is just the only one willing to stick her neck out knowing the bully is allowed to stick around.

Comment by Day Late Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 3:13 pm
== Why hasn’t President Harmon asked for and received Hastings’s resignation from his committee leadership positions? Is it ok for a known bully to continue to be in a position of power?==

A couple of points…

When has Hastings been indicted? Being a bully isn’t a crime. That’s not to say Wallings’ claims haven’t been corroborated it’s just also not a crime. Hastings is going thru an ugly divorce. Tremill has been federally indicted. If you can’t see the difference, then I don’t know what to tell you.

Also, Harmon isn’t a king. He represents the senate caucus. Perhaps instead of asking why Harmon hasn’t done A B or C, perhaps you should ask your senator why he or she hasn’t told Harmon that’s what he should do. To my knowledge, no state Senator has called for Hastings removal. If the caucus wanted it, I find it hard to believe Harmon would not express the wishes of the caucus.

Comment by MG85 Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:02 pm
Day Late.
Not to diminish the situation you brought up, but Jones was indicted by the federal government.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:12 pm
Thanks for the clarification @ MG85

Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 4:58 pm
Harmon always looks so weak in these situations. If a member is so tainted they can’t serve in leadership or chair a committee, the body should take action to expel them.

Comment by Dr. Love Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 5:01 pm
@GeneSimmons 5:01: When is the body meeting to take the action you describe? They’d need a special, and that’s not happening until after the election, if only because members are busy talking with constituents.

Comment by Socially DIstant Watcher Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 5:11 pm
“Asked for examples of recent political corruption among GOP officials in Illinois, Pritzker’s reelection campaign responded with list that included the conviction of former Bloomingdale Township Highway Commissioner Robert Czernek, who pleaded guilty in March to accepting $282,000 in kickbacks, and the resignation last year of a former Winnebago County coroner who pleaded guilty to felony charges including theft from the government and official misconduct. The list also included a member of the City Council in downstate Paris who was arrested in 2020 on sexual assault and abuse charges and two Senate GOP staffers who were charged with misdemeanors the same year for allegedly resisting arrest after they were found drinking beer at the Illinois Capitol.”

This is the best. This is the statewide “bipartisan” corruption they can come up with.

Comment by ESR Wednesday, Sep 21, 22 @ 8:09 pm
Senator Jones has constituents in his district who need help. He has constituents who call him — and he never calls them back. When people seek higher office for personal gain, and out of nepotism, it’s his least powerful constituents who suffer. The people who most need representation never seem to get it.

Comment by state worker Thursday, Sep 22, 22 @ 8:46 am
- state worker - Thursday, Sep 22, 22 @ 8:46 am:

Senator Jones has constituents in his district who need help. He has constituents who call him — and he never calls them back. When people seek higher office for personal gain, and out of nepotism, it’s his least powerful constituents who suffer. The people who most need representation never seem to get it.

To this State Worker, as well as to Amalia at the very beginning of this thread - exactly. And this is exactly why so many of us in Illinois feel the way we do about government and politics. Are there many out there who do good, who want to help others, who believe in public service? Of course. But when you consistently see year after year, decade after decade, the same times of issues (corruption, bribery, nepotism, sexism, discrimination) within government, you’ll sully people. And while I know the items that I’ve just listed are sadly quite prevalent in our society, we should find ways to keep it out of our government. And sadly in Illinois, we seem to revisit these same sins over and over. Once or twice is a coincidence - 10-12 times is a pattern.

Comment by Just a guy Thursday, Sep 22, 22 @ 12:22 pm