East Central Reporter

Adam Niemerg, a representative for Illinois State House District 102, said that it is possible to restore public faith in government and eliminate corruption by strengthening ethics laws. However, he claimed that when Republicans introduced such measures, the Democrats "refused to move any of them." Niemerg made this statement in a Facebook post on March 24.

"We can restore public faith in government and root out corruption in Illinois by strengthening our ethics laws," said Niemerg, State Representative, according to Facebook. "House Republicans introduced a number of anti-corruption measures this session and supermajority Democrats refused to move any of them."

According to Niemerg's Facebook post, he directed readers to a March 21 report from WAND News. The report highlighted the frustration of Republican lawmakers with Democrats in the House, who refused to call any anti-corruption bills for committee votes. With the deadline for bills to be discussed in committee fast approaching, all of the House Republicans' ethics proposals will be sent back to the House Rules Committee. This push for ethics reform followed the conviction of former state House Speaker Michael Madigan in February. Republican state representatives and advocacy groups have advocated for reforms such as empowering the Legislative Inspector General, changing lobbying regulations, and enforcing conflict of interest rules.

Screenshot of State Representative Adam Niemerg's March 24 Facebook post | State Representative Adam Niemerg's Facebook page.

The ethics reform bill package that House Republicans sought to pass included several bills aimed at addressing corruption and improving transparency. Representative Ryan Spain sponsored bills intended to strengthen the Legislative Inspector General's office, close a loophole on legislators and lobbying, and reform local government practices. Representative Blaine Wilhour introduced bills on representation case and recusal reform, as well as a three-year revolving door restriction. Representative Patrick Windhorst proposed a bill prohibiting legislators and constitutional officers from lobbying at the local level. The package also featured a bill from Representative Norine Hammond focused on budget transparency and instituting a 72-hour period for review, along with a bill from Representative Tony McCombie that would prevent public officials from using campaign funds for their legal defense. These reforms were outlined in a graphic shared on Niemerg’s Facebook post.

Adam Niemerg is the representative for Illinois' 109th District, having assumed office on January 13, 2021. A native of Teutopolis, Niemerg earned his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University after attending Lake Land College. Professionally, he has worked as a senior claims adjuster with Country Financial. Since his election to the Illinois General Assembly in 2021, Niemerg has been active in advocating for the interests of his constituents and promoting various legislative initiatives.