SPRINGFIELD SQUABBLES
Dem legislators sue Munger, allege she and gov withholding pay to gain political leverage
A group of Democratic state representatives filed a lawsuit against state Comptroller Leslie Munger on Friday, arguing the wealthy Munger and Gov. Bruce Rauner are holding up legislators’ paychecks for political leverage.
“Many lawmakers don’t have the multimillion- dollar side incomes the governor and comptroller enjoy, ” said state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside, one of the Democrats who filed suit.
Munger, who was defeated in the November election, called the filing on her final day in office “cowardly.”
“Wow. Good grief. I’m amazed,” the governor said.
And if legislators thought they’d catch some relief from incoming Comptroller Susana Mendoza, they may be out of luck.
Joining Welch in filing the lawsuit in Cook County were Representatives Kate Cloonen of Kankakee, Lisa Hernandez of Cicero and Chicagoans Mary Flowers, Sonya Harper and Silvana Tabares. All are full- time legislators.
The group said the suit was filed “to restore legislators’ pay and end unwarranted political pressure being brought by Gov. Bruce Rauner and Comptroller Leslie Munger.”
Welch told the Sun- Times the suit isn’t “cowardly,” but rather “takes courage to step up and do something that many would view as not a popular thing to do.” He said it is wrong for Munger to violate her oath and the Illinois Constitution, claiming the Constitution provides for legislators to be paid monthly.
Welch said no matter if legislators are full- time or not, most spend six to seven days a week on their work as legislators.
“I have received so many calls and text messages from my Republican colleagues saying thank you. But they’re afraid of their billionaire governor and what he would do to them,” Welch said. “I’m not afraid of the governor, and we have to step up and do what’s right.”
Legislators haven’t been paid since June. Several have been vocal about their disdain over not getting paid amid the state’s budget impasse — on the Senate and House floors and in private.
“The decision by multimillionaire Comptroller Leslie Munger and billionaire Gov. Bruce Rauner was a thinly veiled attempt to force their political opponents into taking positions in support of the governor’s positions and against the beliefs of their constituents,” Welch said earlier in a statement.
Munger was appointed by Rauner after the death of former Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. Democrat Mendoza defeated Munger in the November election and will be sworn in Monday.
Munger on Friday said the Democrats’ actions show their pay is more important than hospitals, schools and human service organizations that are waiting in line for payments from the state.
“Literally every dollar counts in our ability to fund critical service. So there’s just no words for my disgust and my disappointment with this lawsuit,” Munger said at a news conference called to respond to the suit.
Munger said the state has more than 126,000 unpaid bills, totaling more than $ 10.3 billion. The state is paying invoices back from June 17 and ended the month of October with $ 10 million cash available to pay nearly $ 8 billion in bills.
She also had words for Comptroller- elect Mendoza, saying the former state representative and city clerk should “do the right thing and vigorously defend the rights of the state comptroller to fund critical services for the state.”
Asked about the suit at a separate event, Rauner agreed, saying “I hope that Comptroller Mendoza stands firm on this: No budget, no pay.”
Mendoza herself vowed to keep up with her campaign pledge to withhold legislators’ pay.
“I was very clear on the issue of withholding legislators’ pay during my campaign: Everyone needs to share in the sacrifice,” Mendoza said in a statement. “My policy will be to prioritize the most vulnerable people in our state and continue the delay in legislators’ pay, unless a court instructs me to do otherwise.”