Will County Gazette

Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) is calling on 97th House District opponent Mica Freeman to do what he insists should be a no-brainer for every lawmaker in Springfield.

“I’m calling on my opponent to sign the 'No Madigan Pledge' I’ve created,” Batinick told the Will County Gazette. “The pledge stipulates that as a member of the 101st General Assembly I will not vote for Mike Madigan for House Speaker.”

Batinick says the reasons for not supporting Madigan are endless, beginning with Madigan's negligence in pushing a record-setting state budget to his handling of a sexual harassment and abuse scandal that has gripped his office and resulted in the ouster of at least two of his campaign associates.

Mica Freeman

“I don’t know why my opponent hasn’t signed the pledge yet,” Batinick said. “What I do know is she continues to support Mike Madigan at a time when most voters in Illinois think it’s time he moved on.”

Batinick recently took Madigan to task for what he characterized as his hunger for power over more than four decades in office.

“It’s who he is and who he has always been,” Batinick previously told the Will County Gazette. “Voters need to understand nothing about that is about to change anytime soon.”

Batinick said he thinks it’s critical that voters realize a vote for any candidate Madigan has aligned himself with, like Freeman, is a vote for Madigan to remain in power and for the state of Illinois to remain stuck behind the eight ball.

“I think it’s highly unlikely that the state will ever really have a chance of righting itself and getting back on track as long as Mike Madigan is in power,” he said. “New leadership is desperately needed for Illinois to be Illinois again.”

The 97th District includes all or parts of Oswego, Plainfield, Troy and Wheatland.