From AP:
"A veteran state senator made sexually suggestive comments to a freshman colleague Monday during the ritual "hazing" that occurs in debate over a rookie's first bill.
Republican Cheryl Axley of Mount Prospect [photo at right] was offering legislation on road maintenance by township governments when Assistant Democratic Leader Rickey Hendon of Chicago suggested that Axley go "on a township road with me later on tonight."
The presiding officer of the chamber, Sen. Debbie Halvorson of Crete, said the question was inappropriate and told Axley she was not obliged to answer.
Hendon then replied, "Madame President, don't deny me my opportunity, here. I mean, she looks like she's only 16 or 17, I might be able to trick her, or something."
"All the more reason you shouldn't be asking," Halvorson said.
It has long been tradition for members of the General Assembly to "haze" newcomers when they present their first piece of legislation, peppering them with innocuous or highly technical questions.
Other senators grilled Axley about the number of miles of township-maintained roads in the state and whether she'd traveled them all."
The story goes on to say that State Sen. Axley was a good sport over what I find to be more demeaning than sexual in nature. She was warned ahead of time and took it in stride as a rookie. That's usually a sign that you are in the club.
What bugs me is that this the group that makes laws for the rest of us. I mean this how we do the people's business in Illinois? Explains a lot, doesn't it. Hazing???
And yes I'm sure someone more intune with Springfield's political culture will haze me as a stick-in-the-mud or something similar. But think about this... Would you get away with the same kind of behavior in your job? I'm sure laws passed by that same august body in Springfield over the past decades suggests that...No, you wouldn't get away with it.
Someone should make it their goal to make Springfield un-fun for our political class. I recall that being a common refrain in Washington, DC in 1995. We could use something like that, here. Less fun, more adults, a better government.
Link: SJ-R.COM - Breaking News.
