Illinois Valley Times

Illinois Rep. Ryan Spain took to Facebook on May 15 to share thoughts on the need for new ethics reform laws relating to state government officials.

"There is no reason we can't pass sweeping ethics reform measures today," wrote in his post. "It's time for Democrats to stop dragging their feet on ethics and join us in stamping out corruption in Illinois."

Spain shared an Illinois Policy report, “Four Ways Springfield Should Combat ‘ComEd Corruption," in reference to the recent trial of individuals connected to former Speaker Michael Madigan. According to the report, four things could combat similar cases of alleged corruption in the future, including giving more power to local Inspectors General; stopping lawmakers from lobbying local governments; strengthening conflict of interest laws, and stopping "the revolving door."

On May 10, Spain's office issued a statement on the issue, asking Democrats to focus on corruption. After a jury issued guilty verdicts against the four individuals in the Madigan case, "sealing the fate of the ComEd Four for their corrupt actions, and following today’s disclosure of former Democrat State Senator Tom Cullerton walked straight from his jail cell and into a lobby firm, Illinois House Republicans sharpened their criticism on supermajority Democrats in Springfield for failing to clean up their own house and operating under the same corrupt Madigan rulebook."

The statement cited incidents like Chris Welch shutting down the Special Investigating Committee looking into Madigan, "and then got Madigan’s full endorsement for Speaker," the statement read. It also noted that Lisa Hernandez "shut down fair redistricting and then received a plum assignment" as Chair of the Democratic Party.

The statement also said Gov. Pritzker pushed to expand Medicaid-like benefits to undocumented immigrants and is lobbying for managed care administration of these services while his “blind trust” is reportedly invested in the state’s largest managed care provider, Centene.

Also, May 10, Spain spoke about ethics reform in a press conference, which was released on the House GOP's YouTube channel.

"The reason we’re here again is the emphasize the need for ethics reform in the state of Illinois, and specifically to ask the question – Where are the Democratic leaders in the General assembly and in our state government and what are they doing on the topic of ethics reform?" Spain said.

"This is not something that should be conducted in the last second of the legislative session," added Spain. "This is not an area where Democrats should attempt to feign some interest in sunshine, while negotiating an ethics package in the dark of night. We have seen what happens when Democrats take actions in dark rooms, delivering gerrymandered maps and political corruption. It has to stop."

Before coming to the House in 2017 Spain served on the Peoria City Council as its youngest at-large member until Fall of 2016, according to his biography.