Will County Gazette

For veteran Illinois State Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), the dynamics governing Springfield simply don’t compute.

“People say [Illinois House Speaker] Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) is the most powerful politician in state history yet he is only accountable to less than 1% of the people across the state,” Batinick told the Will County Gazette. “There needs to be a process for the citizens of this state to be able to hold their leaders more accountable.”

Batinick is now leading the charge in bringing about change, joining GOP Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) in pushing a proposal that would allow voters to be able to initiate the recall process. 

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) | File Photo

While that ability has been on the books now for more than a decade in the case of the governor, Batinick argues much of what is now playing out in Springfield strongly points to the need for that power to be extended.

Currently, longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D) finds himself at the center of a still unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme, where probes were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation. At the same, whispers of dissent about Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s (D) handling of the COVID-19 crisis are becoming more audible by the day.

The GOP sponsored proposal would require voters from at least 25 counties across the state signing 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.

"If democrats aren’t willing to clean up corruption on their own we should give voters the tools to do it,” Batinick said. “I’ve been talking to the public and across the spectrum they’re in support of this. Madigan will have to allow the bill to move forward, but I would say it’s definitely seems to be what the people want.”