Dan Gott, candidate for House District 55, drove home his message to voters this week while he was out campaigning, telling residents they have the power to end political corruption and to turn Illinois around with the November election.
Gott’s recent message to voters as he walks the neighborhoods in his district has been focused on corruption and House Speaker Michael Madigan. Gott, who calls Madigan the “one person who exercises more power and control over Illinois” than the governor, said it has been this way for 33 years.
“He is the longest-serving House speaker in Illinois history,” Gott recently told North Cook News. “Since that time, our state has become deeply rooted in political corruption and cronyism, driving Illinois deeper into financial ruin.”
Gott has been telling voters that the key to putting a halt to the state’s political corruption lies in district mapping and term limits. Gott said that this past July -- when the proposed amendment to change the way district maps are drawn was shot down in court -- it was a setback for Illinois.
“Currently, corrupt politicians continue to draw the district maps as they like,” Gott said. “Ending statewide corruption begins with drawing fair district maps and imposing term limits for politicians. Because our state does not have term limits, these same politicians, much like Madigan, can stay in office for decades.”
Gott further criticized Madigan for his position on taxes. Gott pointed to a recent Chicago Tribune interview in which Madigan stated that he feels the state’s income tax should increase “at least five percent to balance the state’s out-of-whack finances.”
“Madigan’s solution for Illinois’ financial woes is to tax and spend your way out of the problem,” Gott said.
Gott also pointed to the fact that many bills in the state government have never gotten past the House Rules Committee. He claims this is because Madigan uses the General Assembly rules to kill or stall the bills.
“Introduced bills are generally dead on arrival unless approved by Madigan,” Gott said. “Madigan knows the rules -- he has written the rules. A good place to begin would be to reduce Madigan’s absolute power by denying him the supermajority vote. We need to end one-party rule in Illinois. Afterwards, we can go in whatever direction we want to turn around Illinois.”
Gott, a retired engineer who hopes to bring a new wave of political outsiders to the Illinois government, is challenging incumbent Rep. Marty Moylan for the District 55 seat.
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