Kane County Reporter

Dan Ugaste argues the ongoing sexual harassment scandal in Springfield offers another example of how the art of how government should work has become lost.

“We’re there to serve the people, not the other way around,” Ugaste, who is running to replace retiring State Rep. Steve Andersson (R-Geneva) in the 65th District, told the Kane County Reporter. “Too many legislators have come to believe they only need to be accountable to themselves and not the public.”

Ugaste’s ire was raised by the recent revelation the legislative inspector general post responsible for investigating potential ethics violations in Springfield languished unfilled for three years before lawmakers recently moved to install Julie Porter earlier in November. 

Over that time, dozens of sexual harassment complaints are reported to have gone unchecked.

In the wake of it all, Republican lawmaker Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) has also proposed legislation calling for the creation of a hotline to further deal with harassment complaints and House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) is pushing greater sensitivity training for all lawmakers.

“Even now, most of the work being done is about damage control,” Ugaste said. “There’s no good reason I can think of explaining why a role that critical would go unfilled for so long.”

Going forward, Ugaste said voters need to be a part of every step in the process.

“All the cases that are found to have merit need to be investigated and the public needs to be made aware if there is any action taken in any of them,” he said. "Even if the findings have to go through some sort of committee first, public transparency definitely needs to happen.”

Ugaste said most of the blame for what he sees as a dereliction of duty falls on the shoulders of Madigan and the democrats.

“They’re the ones in power in Springfield and they are the ones to allow these toothless laws to exist,” he said. “This is the kind of thing that has me ready to go to Springfield and do everything I can to inject the kind of culture change that needs to happen.”

The 65th District includes Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Pingree Grove, Hampshire and Huntley.