Carbondale Reporter

Veteran state Rep. Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) is set to serve on at least five different House committees during his second term in Springfield.

Windhorst has been tabbed for the Human Services Appropriations, Ethics and Elections, Judiciary Civil Law, Judiciary Criminal Law and Restorative Justice committees.

“I am thankful to have the opportunity to use my experience as a prosecutor and as a member of the Illinois House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee during the previous General Assembly to continue working to support law enforcement officials and protect public safety,” Windhorst posted to Facebook.

In being newly installed to the Judiciary Civil Law and Restorative Justice committees, Windhorst has vowed to be the same person he’s been since arriving in Springfield in 2019.

“I use my position on those committees to ask the tough questions, demand transparency and a better process, and ensure our law enforcement officials are treated fairly and given the tools they need to do their jobs,” he added.

The creation of the House Ethics and Elections Committee comes in the wake of longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan finally being forced from power after being implicated in an ongoing federal probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scandal.

“Mike Madigan is gone, and Speaker (Emanuel) Welch has indicated that he agrees with House Republicans like me that ethics reforms are necessary,” Windhorst added. “Protecting the integrity of our elections is also a top priority for me, so I am looking forward to continuing to vote to protect and ensure free and fair elections in Illinois as a member of the Ethics and Elections Committee.”