Former House member Peter Breen (R-Lombard) is elated to see Illinois residents finally take a stand for themselves by supporting the push for voters to be able and recall elected officials.
“The pandemic and the riots over the last few months have exposed certain elected officials as unfit for office,” Breen told the Prairie State Wire. “The proposals now being floated that would allow voters to recall elected officials at midterm are a great idea. All across the country, folks have been gravely disappointed by the job their elected official are doing and that’s especially true here in Illinois.”
Breen, who recently lost his bid to rejoin the state legislature, added he is in full support of a GOP-sponsored proposal that would allow voters the power to initiate recall proceedings against elected officials. While voters have held such powers in the case of the governor for more than a decade now, Breen rages much of what is now playing out in Springfield strongly points to the need for those powers to be extended.
Former House Republican Floor Leader candidate, Peter Breen (R-Lombard)
| File photo
Currently, longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) finds himself at the center of a still-unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme. At the same, whispers of dissent about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis are becoming more audible by the day.
“I’ve heard enough people say Gov. Pritzker should be recalled and I believe that they should have a forum where they can be heard," Breen said.
As for Madigan, Breen said the verdict is already in.
“He should be gone, expelled from the House, whatever it takes,” Breen said. “His continued speakership is to the shame of Illinois House members that refuse to take substantive action against him.”
Put forth by state Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) and Illinois state Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), the recall measure would require voters from at least 25 counties across the state to sign off on a recall petition. In addition, a bipartisan group of current state representatives and senators must also endorse the action.
Finally, to start the recall process against statewide lawmakers, the plan would require signatures from 12% of the voters who cast votes for governor in the prior election. The issue would require the vote of at least 60% of all voters in order for an official to be shown the door via the recall process.
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