Kendall County Times

Republican activist James Marter doesn’t mince words when it comes to voicing what he thinks is most needed in Springfield.

“I think anytime you put more power in the hands of voters, it’s a good thing,” Marter told the Kendall County Times. “Springfield has been running wild with corruption for too long. It’ll be good to finally give voters more power and authority.”

Marter said he stands in full support of a GOP plan that would grant voters the authority to initiate the recall process. While that ability has been on the books now for more than a decade in the case of the governor, Marter rages 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 finds himself at the center of a still unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme where bribes were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation. 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.

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.

“I wish more people were paying closer attention to Springfield and maybe we wouldn’t need this mechanism,” Marter added. “But sometimes it takes some of what we’re seeing for people to wake up and realize something else needs to be done. I absolutely I think what’s happening with Speaker Madigan right now would be grounds for something like this to kick in.”