By DOUG IBENDAHL • January 8, 2013
Legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain a state drivers license passed the Illinois House today by a vote of 65 to 46. The bill (SB957) passed the Illinois Senate last month in a vote of 41 to 14.
The bill now heads to Governor Quinn who has indicated he will immediately sign the bill into law.
Four Republicans spoke on the House floor today in favor of passage: Dan Brady, Tom Cross, Mike Fortner, and Skip Saviano.
The 11 House Republicans who voted “yes” and helped the Democrats pass SB957 were: Dan Brady, Tom Cross, Jim Durkin, Mike Fortner, David Leitch, Sid Mathias, Michael McAuliffe, Chris Nybo, Bob Pritchard, Skip Saviano (Sponsor) and Darlene Senger.
Absent Republican support, the bill would have failed today in the House.
Four Republicans did rise to speak against the bill on the floor today: Dwight Kay, Dennis Reboletti, Randy Ramey, and Jim Sacia. Those four were among the 38 Republicans who defended the GOP Platform and said “no” to rewarding illegal behavior.
Proponents of SB957 claim it’s about highway safety. This is of course absurd. Illinois has simply put out a welcome mat to make our state the destination of choice for persons wanting to enter our country illegally. This only makes our roads more dangerous.
Even more absurd, this is the same Illinois House which still refuses to give Republicans the right to vote in their own Republican Party. A direct election bill which would restore the right has passed-out of the Senate three times over the past seven years, but it’s always been killed in the House by Tom Cross and Skip Saviano. Every time it happens, the other GOP State Reps remain spineless and silent.
So to recap. We have eleven House Republicans who won’t stand up for law abiding Republicans and the right to vote, but they will bestow a big government benefit to persons violating our federal laws.
Any Republican who ever lifts a finger in the future for one of the 11 sellouts should probably have his or her head examined. Those 11 again are: Dan Brady, Tom Cross, Jim Durkin, Mike Fortner, David Leitch, Sid Mathias, Michael McAuliffe, Chris Nybo, Bob Pritchard, Skip Saviano and Darlene Senger.
Doug Ibendahl is a Chicago Attorney and a former General Counsel of the Illinois Republican Party.
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