South Central Reporter

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham) points to the brewing mock assassination scandal state Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago) now finds himself at the center of as another example of the state’s flawed political system.

“Democrats in Illinois think they can do whatever they want to do because with their complete power, there are no check and balances,” Wilhour told the East Central Reporter. “There’s no accountability on any level, be it on issues of morality like this or a lack of accountability on our fiscal problems.”

The latest controversy stems from an Aug. 16, incident where at a MAS Havana Nights Golf Clasico fundraiser for Sandoval at Klein Creek Gold Club in Winfield, a still unnamed man posed with a fake rifle pointed at a person in a costume of Trump wearing traditional Mexican clothing. The photos were later posted to social media.

“It’s disgusting and there’s no place for that, no place in civil discourse,” Wilhour said. “That doesn’t move the ball forward on getting anything done. If the issue were on other feet, if that was a Republican doing that to a Democrat, there would be hell to pay. Elected officials should be held to a higher standard across the board.”

Sandoval has since issued a public apology, but Wilhour says it may be too little, too late.

“We can’t just have people doing whatever they want,” he said. “There’s no accountability for anything in Illinois’ politics and that’s a big part of the problem. I hope that the voters will wake up soon to hold these politicians accountable for all the things they’re doing.”

Wilhour’s 107th District includes all of Bond, Marion and Fayette counties, along with the western part of Effingham County and the northeast corner of Clinton County.