Illinois Valley Times

State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) believes lawmakers in Springfield should feel an obligation to do all they can to make sure they’re engaging in the work of the people.

“We recognize COVID-19 positive rates are going up and we take that very seriously,” Rezin told the Illinois Valley Times. “That’s why it’s so important that both the Senate and the House are able to meet via Zoom or remotely somehow to do what needs to be done for the state.”

Rezin argues Illinois legislative leaders recently moving to cancel the fall Veto Session slated to commence this month should have never been an option, adding staffers from the office of House Speaker Mike Madigan now claiming that they have the backing of a “strong majority” of House Democrats doesn’t change the picture.

“It’s a disservice to the people of this state that we as lawmakers are not able to meet in any way at this point and time,” Rezin added. “I acknowledge that infection rates are up and definitely take that seriously, but we need to be holding discussion about how we’re going to handle everything from contact tracing to the rollout of the vaccine.”

Rezin said there may be more than what meets in the eye when it comes to why some lawmakers are now pushing to avoid Springfield like the plague.

Longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan now finds himself at the center of a still ongoing federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme where all the perks were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation.

“I’m sure Speaker Madigan does not want to be in session right now because of those probes and the investigations into his role in all of it,” she said. “But at the end of the day, it’s still his job to govern.”