Lake County Gazette

Martin McLaughlin, GOP member-elect of the Illinois House of Representatives, senses all the growing corruption in Springfield is leading back to the same starting point.

“I think corruption and influence peddling involving legislators are huge problems that all circle around money to get candidates to vote a certain way,” McLaughlin told the Lake County Gazette. “It’s such an expensive undertaking to run for office, but we know independence doesn’t happen when money like that is involved. It only leads to more corruption.”

Filling the seat being vacated by veteran state Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) in the 52nd District, McLaughlin wonders how much good a push by a group of Republican legislators to have a series of anti-corruption measures aired out in public before the full legislature can do as long as the same lawmakers are in charge. Currently, longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan finds himself at the center of an ongoing federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme in which all the perks were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation.

“I think it’s past time that all state legislators take a look at themselves in the mirror and make a decision about if what they’re doing is in the best interest of the state or themselves,” McLaughlin added. “The real question for Mike Madigan is how you can not feel responsible for where we are right now after having been in charge all this time.”

While pleased to see Republicans take action in pushing for public forums through bills that would lead to allowing the attorney general to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate, indict and prosecute bribery and granting the legislative inspector general the authority to investigate members of the legislature without having to seek approval, McLaughlin admits he has mixed feelings.

“Anti-corruption bills are great, but it’s a sad commentary that we have to call on legislators to do what they should have been doing all along,” he said.