Inside:
- Scam prevention event coming up on Monday afternoon
- Opening statements in Madigan corruption trial next Monday
- Non-binding advisory questions on Illinois ballot this fall
- Sportsmen’s Caucus presentation to Knoxville High School
Scam prevention event coming up on Monday afternoon
I will be joining with Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg and F&M Bank to host a scam prevention seminar in Galesburg on Monday afternoon.
Financial scams have targeted many of us in recent years. It seems as if everyone knows somebody who has been contacted by a scammer trying to fraudulently take their money or gain access to their personal information. These scams range from the simple – like taking money to trim trees and then never doing the work – to much more complex scams with overseas actors stealing thousands from bank accounts. We all need to be on the lookout and know how to spot these scams before it is too late.
Join us on Monday at 1 p.m. at the Galesburg Library Community Room, 264 W. Main Street, for information on how to recognize scams and what to do about them. This will be an important informational event. It is open to the public and everyone is welcome. I hope you can stop by.
Opening statements in Madigan corruption trial next Monday
Jury selection has begun in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. Opening statements in the federal court case are scheduled for next Monday. The trial is expected to last several weeks.
Madigan was the longest-serving House Speaker in Illinois history before he was forced out in 2021 following corruption allegations which led to his eventual indictment a year later. He is standing trial alongside lobbyist Mike McClain on racketeering charges in which the federal prosecutors allege Madigan traded official acts for personal gain.
McClain was convicted last year, along with three executives from the electric utility Commonwealth Edison, for bribing Speaker Madigan by giving do-nothing jobs to Madigan’s associates in order to get legislation passed while Madigan controlled the Illinois House. A separate Madigan-related bribery trial involving an AT&T executive ended last month in a mistrial.
We have made numerous proposals for ethics reform to end the corruption in state government, but so far none of our bills have been allowed to come to the floor for a vote.
Non-binding advisory questions on Illinois ballot this fall
This fall Illinois voters will see three non-binding advisory questions on their ballot. The three questions were added to the ballot as part of an elections omnibus bill which was quickly passed through the House and Senate and signed into law in early May.
The three questions are as follows:
Should any candidate appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, State, or local office be subject to civil penalties if the candidate interferes or attempts to interfere with an election worker’s official duties?
Should the Illinois Constitution be amended to create an additional 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000 for the purpose of dedicating funds raised to property tax relief?
Should all medically appropriate assisted reproductive treatments, including, but not limited to, in vitro fertilization, be covered by any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides coverage for pregnancy benefits, without limitation on the number of treatments?
Unlike the Constitutional amendments which were on Illinois ballots in recent general elections, these are non-binding questions, meaning the outcome of the vote will not automatically lead to them being enacted into law. Questions like these are placed on the ballot to assess the opinions of Illinoisans on different issues, and the results can be used by the General Assembly to develop future legislation.
Sportsmen’s Caucus presentation to Knoxville High School
Last week I presented a $500 Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus check to the Knoxville High School Trap Shooting Team. The team was able to use the funds to purchase shotgun shell pouches for their upcoming competitive matches.
The bipartisan Illinois Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus seeks to protect and advance policies that promote hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife management. The purpose of the caucus is to be an advocate for Illinois outdoor recreational assets, protecting the fin, fur and feather pursuits.
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