“As Chair of the Special Investigating Committee, I made it clear that this matter needed to be handled in a court of law, completely separate from the legislature. As is evident by this federal indictment, the full weight of the justice system was needed to ensure all charges are investigated properly and thoroughly. At my direction, the Office of the Speaker has fully cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so.”

“For the past two years, Dr. Ezike has dedicated herself to protecting the health and safety of all Illinoisans. She has been a calming and reassuring voice for our entire state as we navigated through a global health crisis. We owe Dr. Ezike our deepest gratitude for her continued commitment to keeping us all safe and I wish her luck in future endeavors.”

SPRINGFIELD – Amid an ongoing decline of COVID-19 hospitalizations, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch announced on Monday that the House Chamber is relaxing some of the mitigations that were necessary during the height of the pandemic. The gallery will be open to members of the public at 50% capacity and outside visitors, such as clergy and pages, will be allowed on the floor.