Dupage Policy Journal

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) dreams of a day when voters fully understand all the power they have.

“You hear voters complaining all the time about how bad some things have gotten here in Illinois,” Ives told the DuPage Policy Journal. “They can change things the next voting cycle in November by simply going to the polls and voting for the people who truly have their interest at heart and not for someone who’s all about themselves.”

Ives said the latest example of that derives from the ongoing sexual harassment scandal now playing out in Springfield and the growing question of whether the accused should still be eligible for full state pensions.

Illinois State House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago)

Over the last several months, at least four close associates of powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) have been forced to relinquish at least part of their responsibilities after being ensnared in the probe.

Tim Mapes and Kevin Quinn were both forced to step down after being accused, while Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago) ceded his position on the Senate Democratic leadership team. Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), Madigan’s No. 2 in Springfield, has also been similarly accused.

Mapes is the latest to go after fellow Madigan staffer Sherri Garrett stepped forward to accuse Madigan's longtime chief of staff of harassment and bullying.

Nonetheless, the Chicago Tribune reports after 40 years in state government Mapes is still eligible to collect a pension of more than $135,000 per year with annual pension increases of 3 percent

During her primary run for governor, Ives estimated that Quinn was in line for a $750,000 payout from state taxpayers after contributing roughly $26,000 to his pension over 17 years of service.

Meanwhile, Silverstein recently passed the 20-year threshold, making him eligible for a yearly payment of 85 percent of his final legislative salary. In 2017, around the same time local activist Denise Rotheimer went public with her allegations of harassment against him, Silverstein's yearly salary totaled almost $88,500, according to the comptroller's office.

“I hope this illustrates how some of these top guys, even after having to resign over not treating people fairly, will still be getting an enormous pension for the rest of their life,” Ives added. “I much more prefer a system where for every year you work in state government you have money placed for you in a retirement account for that year. Then, when you’re done, we’re able to cut ties and don’t have to keep paying you for a lifetime. Right now, the system has no way to do call back for bad actors.”

Ives said she expects to see even more cases where people have been mistreated come to the forefront, though she adds even with that she doesn’t think Democrats have reached the point where they are ready to stand up to Madigan.

“The culture and tone of the conversation is always set by the leaders, especially here in Illinois where they have been in power for so long,” Ives said.  “We have to get to a point where Democrats are willing to hold the man at the top accountable for what he controls.”