Amid numerous Illinois legislative scandals and concerns over the subsequent handling of multiple investigations, Legislative Inspector General Michael McCuskey announced his resignation.
The Legislative Ethics Commission has appointed David E. Risley as Acting Legislative Inspector General beginning October 1. Risley brings more than 30 years of investigative and prosecutorial experience to the role. He is a Certified Inspector General and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney. He has also served as an ethics officer for the Illinois Department of Transportation and as a legal and ethics advisor in the Office of the Legislative Inspector General.
The acting inspector general has the same authority and responsibilities as a permanent inspector general while the commission searches for a replacement. Applications for the permanent position are due October 31.
I’m glad there will be an acting inspector general in place while the commission searches for a permanent replacement. But filling the position is only part of the job. We absolutely need to give the office the independence and authority to investigate misconduct and hold lawmakers accountable. The truth is no Legislative Inspector General can properly execute their responsibility to investigate legislators, because the office is designed to be weak and often powerless. My Democratic colleagues need to end their blockade against strengthening ethics oversight in Springfield.