Expulsion vote for 10th District State Representative Derrick Smith scheduled for Friday
The House Resolution 1191 ends with:
"RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, That the House of Representatives finds Representative Smith to be At Fault on the Charge and on each of the Specifications against him as preferred by the House Special Investigating Committee and as determined by the House Select Committee on Discipline; and be it further RESOLVED, That Representative Smith is hereby Expelled from the House of Representatives, the Expulsion to take effect immediately upon adoption of this Resolution by a record vote of 79 Members elected."
Smith was appointed to his State Rep position after Annazette Collins was appointed to the 5th District Senate seat last year. Smith was receiving high praise and accolades from people such as Chris Kennedy, Patricia Van Pelt Watkins, 1st Ward Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno and others the day he was arrested on Mar. 13, 2012.
A week after his arrest for a $7,000 bribe to help a day care center obtain a state grant, voters swept him into the Democratic slot for the seat he currently holds. He received 77% of the vote to Tom Swiss' 23% in the primary. Since the primary he has been indicted on federal charges to which he has plead not guilty.
Smith's refusal to step-down from his office or the September ticket as a Democrat resulted in the formation of a new party, the 10th District Unity Party. Without a lot of unity, the group did slate Lance Tyson who will be on the ballot running for the 10th District House of Representative's position.
By removing Smith from his position as 10th District Rep. prior to the upcoming election, that does NOT remove him from the September ballot for the position of the 10th District Representative of the Illinois House. Unless he decides to remove himself from the ballot, only the voters can prevent him from being elected to that seat.