Rich Hein/Sun-Times; Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said he had already spoken with Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch twice in the Democrat’s first ten full days in the top leadership post and the new speaker expressed an interest in “meeting on a regular basis for a cup of coffee or breakfast.”
“That didn’t happen with Mike Madigan,” Durkin told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Surprise.”
Durkin said “time will tell” if Welch holds to the promise of reaching across the aisle that the Hillside Democrat made in his speech just minutes after ascending to the powerful position leading the House two weeks ago.
AP
In 2016, Illinois lawmakers had a sticky problem that state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch stepped up to solve, marking him as an up-and-comer in Springfield.
Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger had cut off state pay to legislators because of the General Assembly’s budget impasse with Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Munger’s move was popular. Why should legislators get paid, went the argument, when payments to state vendors were past due because the Legislature “wasn’t doing its job?”
The pay stoppage also happened to be blatantly illegal. The executive branch of government can’t extort the personal pocketbooks of the legislative branch to get its way.
Capitol News Illinois
Newly-elected House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, passes a seated Rep. Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, as he returns to his seat on the floor of the Bank of Springfield Center on Wednesday, Jan. 13, after being nominated to replace Madigan as speaker.
Credit Jerry Nowicki of Capitol News Illinois
Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch made history Wednesday, Jan. 13, by becoming the first Black person elected speaker of the Illinois House, succeeding Rep. Michael Madigan, who leaves the job after serving for 36 of the past 38 years.
The House came into session Wednesday afternoon to begin the 102nd General Assembly just moments after it adjourned a rare lame duck session that ended the 101st biennial session.
Good morning, members and staff:
I am a confirmed positive.
I have been tested daily, and yesterday I received notice that my rapid test was positive. I have been made aware of 2 other confirmed positives, and my PCR results came back, confirming my own positive.
Please self-isolate for 14 days, as I recommended in both my earlier email and in the written guidance sent to you before returning to Springfield.
While I had no symptoms yesterday morning, I did start to show mild symptoms yesterday evening, and I’m currently quarantining at home. I plan to get some rest, and will respond to emails as soon as possible.