Quinn joins call for accused legislator to resign
Gov. Pat Quinn has joined fellow Democrat Jesse White in calling for a state lawmaker charged with bribery to step down.
Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson says Rep. Derrick Smith “cannot be an effective representative for his constituents given his circumstances.”
But Democratic leaders waited until a day after Smith was safely nominated for the House seat in the Chicago district. Smith won 77 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary despite a federal allegation he accepted a $7,000 bribe in exchange for support of a day care center’s state grant application.
Smith worked for Secretary of State Jesse White before White backed his appointment to office last spring to fill a vacancy. White also said Wednesday Smith should resign.
Smith did not return a message left at his office.