SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) called on two Democratic state senators, Sen. Emil Jones III (D-Chicago) and Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort), to resign Thursday due to misconduct allegations.
“They should answer the charges and have their day in court,” Pritzker said. “But in the best interests of their constituents, these men must resign from their offices.”
Jones III was indicted on federal charges Tuesday due to lying to federal officials about accepting bribes from the traffic light company SafeSpeed. He is connected to a FBI raid of then-State Senator Martin Sandoval, and is the fourth Illinois elected official to be indicted from the raid.
Hastings has been accused of abuse by his ex-wife. A police report originally obtained by the Edgar County Watchdogs found that Hastings “battered her, by placing her in a chokehold in a choke hold/neck restraint, and slammed her body into a door multiple times.”
A top environmental lobbyist also said in an interview with WBEZ that Hastings physically intimidated her multiple times while lobbying to him.
Republicans have criticized Senate President Don Harmon for not calling for Jones and Hastings’ resignation.
“What is this ‘high ethical standard’ in today’s Democrat-controlled Senate?” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy. “Is everything short of a federal indictment and conviction ok?”
Both Hastings and Jones resigned from their leadership positions in the Senate due to their allegations.
