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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, On July 14, 2021, Legislative Inspector General
3Carol M. Pope announced her intent to resign her office; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Pursuant to the State Officials and Employees
5Ethics Act, a search committee consisting of four former
6judges or prosecutors was appointed by the legislative leaders
7to conduct a search for qualified candidates to replace the
8Legislative Inspector General and made recommendations to the
9Legislative Ethics Commission; and
 
10    WHEREAS, After multiple attempts, the Legislative Ethics
11Commission has been unable to agree on recommending a
12candidate or candidates to the General Assembly; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Carol M. Pope resigned from her position as
14Legislative Inspector General effective at the end of January
1531, 2022, creating a vacancy in the office; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The General Assembly is responsible for the
17appointment of a Legislative Inspector General, whom shall be
18selected solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated
19ability; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The Honorable Michael P. McCuskey is an

 

 

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1individual of high integrity and demonstrated ability who, as
2a former public defender and judge, has led an exemplary
3career of public service that more than qualifies him to serve
4as the next Legislative Inspector General; and
 
5    WHEREAS, A native of Peoria, Judge McCuskey was admitted
6to the Illinois bar in 1975 and has dedicated his professional
7life to work that has demonstrated his commitment to
8integrity, professionalism, and ethics; and
 
9    WHEREAS, After serving for over a decade as the chief
10public defender in Marshall County, Judge McCuskey was elected
11in 1988 as an Illinois circuit court judge for the Tenth
12Judicial Circuit; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Judge McCuskey was elected to the Illinois
14Appellate Court for the Third Judicial District in 1990, where
15he served until 1998; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Judge McCuskey was nominated for the United
17States District Court for the Central District of Illinois by
18President Bill Clinton and confirmed by a
19Republican-controlled United States Senate in 1998, serving as
20chief judge of the district from 2004 to 2012; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Upon retirement from the federal bench in 2014,

 

 

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1Judge McCuskey was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to
2serve again as a State circuit court judge for the Tenth
3Judicial District, a post that voters subsequently elected him
4to in 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Judge McCuskey retired from the court in 2020;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, Judge McCuskey served on the Illinois Supreme
8Court's Commission on Professionalism for nearly 15 years,
9first as a commissioner and then as an advisor until he
10retired; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Judge McCuskey currently serves on the Board of
12Directors of the Illinois Judges Association and formerly
13served as Chairman of the Illinois State University Board of
14Trustees; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Judge McCuskey's extensive experience,
16appointments, and professional activities overwhelmingly
17qualify him for the position of Legislative Inspector General,
18an office that necessitates both keen intellect and insight
19into the personal and professional motivations of persons
20acting in the public realm; therefore, be it
 
21    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
2REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we appoint the
3Honorable Michael P. McCuskey as Legislative Inspector General
4in accordance with subsection (b) of Section 25-10 of the
5State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, endorsing him
6wholeheartedly as surpassing all statutory requirements and in
7full confidence that his character and integrity will enhance
8the office of Legislative Inspector General and benefit the
9administration of the ethical foundation on which Illinois
10legislators and legislative employees operate; and be it
11further
 
12    RESOLVED, That, in accordance with subsection (b) of
13Section 25-10 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act,
14the appointment of Judge McCuskey takes effect upon the
15adoption of this joint resolution by the affirmative vote of
16three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the
17General Assembly, the certification of this joint resolution
18by the President of the Senate and by the Speaker of the House
19of Representatives, and the filing of this joint resolution
20with the Secretary of State; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That in accordance with subsection (b) of
22Section 25-10 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act,
23the term of Legislative Inspector General McCuskey shall run
24through June 30, 2023; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That Legislative Inspector General McCuskey
2shall serve in a contractual capacity; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That Legislative Inspector General McCuskey
4shall be compensated at the rate of $275.00 per hour with a
5maximum compensation not to exceed $200,000 per fiscal year;
6and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be delivered to
8the Honorable Michael P. McCuskey and the Legislative Ethics
9Commission.