FITHIAN – 104th district State Representative Mike Marron (R-Fithian) was on the floor of the Illinois House of Representatives the morning that Democrats rammed through controversial legislation that dramatically changed Illinois’ criminal justice system.
Recently Rep. Marron explained why he voted No on the SAFE-T Act.
“I was on the floor of the House for the lame-duck Session of 2021. I saw the corrupt way the SAFE-T Act was changed with a 700-plus page amendment added at 4:00 a.m. No police groups or Republicans were brought in to negotiate the bill. It was then passed in the final minutes of the Session by the slimmest possible majority. Only two Republican Representatives were even allowed to ask questions about the bill and their time was cut-off by the supermajority Democrats. This happened while Mike Madigan was still House Speaker. This was the most significant and damaging change to law enforcement in the history of the state.”
“I voted no for many reasons, but there are some parts of the law that are simply more alarming than others,” Marron said. “The SAFE-T Act will end cash bail for violent felonies like carjacking and assault. More than 50 Illinois State’s Attorneys and a growing number of Sheriffs are suing to block the law because of its unconstitutional nature. The SAFE-T Act as it exists today will increase crime, increase taxes, reduce funding for police departments, and wreck recruitment and retention of quality police officers.”
Earlier this year, Marron signed on to co-sponsor legislation (HB 4499) that would repeal the dangerous provisions of the SAFE-T Act while leaving in place stipulations that provide compensation for victims of crime.
“House Democrats and JB Pritzker have it so wrong on the issue of crime and punishment,” Marron said. “They backed legislation that reduces punishments for criminals and hampers the ability of police to do their job to keep us safe. This is a backward vision that is leading to all kinds of unintended consequences in other states that have tried these social justice experiments. The city of Chicago is a
perfect example of failed lax criminal justice policies. The city is seeing rising crime, the suburbs are seeing rising crime, and our rural communities are already seeing rising crime. I am sponsoring a repeal of the SAFE-T Act so we can get back to policing that works and give the citizens living in our communities the safety and security that they deserve.”
Rep. Marron’s opponent in the November 8th General Election for 104th district State Representative, Cynthia Cunningham, is being funded by campaign committees controlled by Democratic House Speaker Chris Welch, who was a long-time close ally of disgraced former Speaker Mike Madigan and a driving force behind the passage of the SAFE-T Act.
“My opponent owes the people of the 104th district answers,” Marron said. “Does she stand with the people of this district and with our law enforcement partners in opposing radical, anti-police policies, or does she stand with the same corrupt political class that brought us the SAFE-T Act? The people of this district know where I stand. It is time to repeal the SAFE-T Act today.”
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State Representative Mike Marron 