Democrats missed opportunity to pass significant ethics reforms out of committee

State lawmakers left Springfield without passing any ethics reform legislation during committee deadline week. House Republicans told reporters that they are frustrated their Democratic colleagues refused to call any of the bills addressing corruption for a committee vote.

Some argue this was the perfect time to show the public that lawmakers want to close the lawmaker to lobbyist revolving door and end the use of campaign funds to pay for public corruption defense.

"When Democratic politicians were arrested, indicted, charged, convicted and incarcerated, we waited for action," said Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis). "We've been disappointed time after time."

All of the House Republican ethics proposals will be sent back to the House Rules Committee, or effectively killed, unless Democratic leaders extend the deadline for bills to be discussed in committee.

The House Ethics & Elections Committee has only discussed elections bills during several subject matter hearings since session started in January. Read the rest of the story by Mike Miletich on WAND News.