Metro East Sun

Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield) restated his sentiments over the recent executive appointment hearing where Pritzker-appointees were no-shows.

He lashed out at the lack of transparency in the process and Democrats at a Capitol press conference discussing an end-of-session update from the Republicans.

“The lack of transparency has been stunning,” the senator from Springfield said. “I've only been here a short time, a little over two years. I've never seen anything like this before and it's not just the transparency that escapes us, it's the transparency that’s been escaping the public whether it's the redistricting hearings or the executive appointments hearings.”

McClure touted how the Senate GOP has been making sure that processes are being complied with and has been pushing for Illinoisans’ safety.

“It was the Senate Republicans who shed light on members of the Prisoner Review Board for making extremely serious and dangerous decisions to release horrific monsters back on our streets against the will of the victims, who we need to protect and they hadn't even been confirmed by the Senate. We have been trying now for quite a while to get those appointments heard and committed,” he said. "I am very proud of this caucus because we have spent our time here during the session standing up for victims and fighting for them and fighting for public safety. We have been pointing out our constitutional duty which is not being met. We are to advise and consent; we have not been able to do that and we still have no explanation whatsoever as to why we did not have a vote and hearings on these appointments.

He emphasized how the Prison Review Board has been becoming a threat to crime victims.

“We're looking for justice for those victims and transparency and the ability to perform our constitutional duty,” McClure said. “There is a war on victims out here. We are trying our best to defend our victims because a lot of people are scared right now, our communities are scared right now. They are scared right now of what's going to happen next week.”

Senate Executive Appointment Committee Minority Spokesperson Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) decried “the arrogance of the majority party and the disregard for public safety,” that was demonstrated, and “the way they’ve handled this process is a sham and should never happen again.”

Four Prison Review Board appointees have been actively in service for nearly two years despite not being confirmed by the Executive Appointments Committee.