Republicans criticize Democrats for inaction on ethics bills: ‘Just more of the same’  

Republican lawmakers on Thursday pumped up the pressure on their Democratic counterparts to pass ethics reform bills that legislators have proposed in the aftermath of recent federal indictments.  

Speaking at a news conference in Springfield, Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) and Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) pointed to a lack of substantive action on what they viewed as significant issues, ranging from property tax reform to an ethics overhaul.