Half-a-dozen state representatives have sued the Illinois comptroller for holding up their paychecks during the state budget mess.
The Democratic lawmakers filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Friday demanding that Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger and Gov. Bruce Rauner ``end unwarranted political pressure.''
Munger calls the lawmakers' action a cowardly act.
"We ended the month of October with just $10 million in cash available in the state to pay nearly $8 billion in bills. Yet, these lawmakers are going to court now to ask that they receive preferential treatment and get paid first."
Governor Bruce Rauner seems to agree.
"They're filing a lawsuit against Comptroller Munger to get paid when we don't have a budget. We don't have any money. Legislators are insisting, that even though they're not doing their jobs passing budgets and reforms, they want to get paid. Wow...good grief...I'm amazed."
In April, Munger began putting paychecks for the governor and lawmakers in line and pays them like other vendors' overdue bills get paid.
The lawsuit was filed by Democratic representatives Chris Welch of Hillside, Kate Cloonen of Kankakee, Lisa Hernandez of Cicero along with Chicagoans Mary Flowers, Sonya Harper and Silvan Tabares.
Munger was appointed in 2014 to fill a vacancy but lost election last month to Democrat Susana Mendoza. Mendoza has pledged to continue withholding pay.
