If his colleagues kick him out, State Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) could still be voted back into the Illinois House of Representatives. The House convenes Aug. 17, with the only announced point of business being Smith’s fate. He was arrested on a bribery charge shortly before the primary earlier this year. The Democrats in the district fought for his primary victory against a Republican pretending to be a Democrat, though the House has been moving toward Smith’s expulsion.
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“There’s nothing in state law that would preclude him from running for office in November,” says State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), who brushed aside questions about the party’s involvement in his primary victory, adding, “I think it’s unfortunate that Mr. Smith has decided not to resign his post and not to resign from the ballot.”
The Democratic establishment in the district has created a new political party and fielded a candidate to run against Smith in November.
Smith was accused of agreeing to write a letter of recommendation for a state grant in exchange for $7,000 in cash.
Currie is uncertain whether the House will use its one-day summer session to also debate pension changes which have passed the Senate.
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