Illinois House Special Committee Launches Investigation Into Indicted Rep. Carol Ammons

Illinois House Special Committee Launches Investigation Into Indicted Rep. Carol Ammons

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois House of Representatives has begun a formal investigation into alleged misconduct by Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, who in July pleaded not guilty to 10 federal felony charges including wire fraud, lying to the FBI, and conspiring to obstruct justice.

A six-member House Special Investigating Committee — three Democrats and three Republicans, chaired by Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago — held its opening hearing on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Illinois Capitol. The committee was triggered by a Republican petition that largely mirrored the federal indictment, alleging Ammons engaged in inappropriate and illegal behavior over the course of her 11-year tenure in the General Assembly.

The indictment

Federal prosecutors allege that starting in 2017, Ammons and her daughter, Titianna Ammons, "received financial benefits in excess of $100,000" through a scheme involving illegal payments from the "Friends of Carol Ammons" campaign account and from payments made to Titianna Ammons by local nonprofits that received state grant funds arranged by the lawmaker.

Ammons' husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, also faces a conspiracy charge. The couple's daughter, Titianna Ammons, was not charged in the wire fraud case but is facing separate federal unemployment fraud charges.

Their federal trials have been delayed to November, with rescheduled pretrial conferences set for that month.

Committee's first step: consult the U.S. Attorney

After Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, introduced the GOP petition on Ammons' behalf, the committee voted unanimously to consult with the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois to determine whether the committee's action would interfere with the ongoing federal investigation.

The committee will not meet again or conduct a deeper investigation until the U.S. attorney responds. The process mirrors past special investigating committees into former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, former Rep. Derrick Smith, and former Speaker Mike Madigan, each of which contacted the investigating U.S. attorney before proceeding.

Five counts focused on state funds

The petition, signed by eleven Republicans, tasks the committee with investigating five counts that Ammons abused state funds. The initial petition contained nine charges, which included campaign finance law violations, but Davidsmeyer said the GOP decided to focus on violations related to state tax dollars, believing issues surrounding campaign contributions and lying to federal agents could be explored another time.

Davidsmeyer said as he introduced the petition: "As members of the Illinois House of Representatives, we are held to a higher ethical standard, and we must hold each other to that high ethical standard as we make sure to take care of this institution."

Tarver emphasized the committee's role: "This committee is not a court of law, and we are not judging innocence or guilt. Rather, we are tasked with inquiring into the underlying facts to determine whether reasonable grounds exist for the discipline to be pursued by the House."

Ammons declined to attend

Ammons, through her attorneys, declined to attend the opening hearing because it was only going to be a procedural step, Tarver said. House rules give Ammons the right to attend each hearing, introduce her own evidence, and testify to the committee.

Political fallout

The investigation has become a campaign issue. Republican nominee for governor, Darren Bailey, held a news conference at the Statehouse prior to the hearing where he said "the people of Illinois, they're ultimately responsible for this," and called Gov. JB Pritzker "a jackass."

Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, warned that the process must not be allowed to become a spectacle of delay. "This committee cannot become another Springfield exercise in delays, doublespeak excuses, and more political protections for insiders. Decades of scandal have destroyed the public's trust in state government," Niemerg said.

Niemerg's comments drew echoes of criticism of the 2020 investigation into former Speaker Madigan, which was led by then-Rep. Chris Welch, D-Hillside. Welch, who was later accused of covering up sexual harassment cases, said courts were a better place to determine wrongdoing. Republicans at the time criticized the committee's work, and the Democrats ultimately concluded without finding Madigan engaged in unethical behavior.

Davidsmeyer voiced confidence in Tarver's leadership: "I think Chairman Tarver will do a good job. I have a lot of respect for how he looks at things. We may not always agree, but we can at least have conversations on these things. So I think this should be a good committee."

What happens next

The House rules require a two-thirds vote to find that a member engaged in conduct unbecoming a legislator, which would trigger a formal discipline process. If the U.S. Attorney's office clears the committee to proceed, the next steps could include subpoenaing documents, hearing witness testimony, and potentially calling Ammons to testify.

The Ammons case adds to a wave of ethics concerns facing Illinois Democrats ahead of the November election, including allegations against former Rep. Harry Benton regarding inappropriate sexual conduct that began in 2023.