A Republican lawmaker from Springfield pounded his fist, screamed and threw a paper calendar across the Illinois House chamber Thursday night, saying he was frustrated Democrats won't call a House vote on his bill to allow a referendum on a Capital Township merger with Sangamon County government.
“I’ve got a bill that is important to my community that the leadership will not call,” state Rep. Tim Butler said, referring to House Bill 2994.
In a three-minute speech shortly before 9 p.m., Butler accused Democrats who control the House of “putting your thumb” on the bill “for political reasons.”
Butler and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, who was elected to lead the House in January, isn’t fulfilling his promise to bring a “new day” to the chamber. Butler said Welch promised to allow more Republican-sponsored bills to be debated than his predecessor, Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and ease the strict control over House business that Madigan exercised for 38 years.