Illinois' bipartisan Legislative Ethics Commission has named former federal prosecutor David Risley as acting legislative inspector general, preventing a vacancy when Michael McCuskey's resignation takes effect September 30.
Risley will begin October 1. The commission's appointment announcement cited more than 30 years of investigative and prosecutorial experience, including work as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of Illinois. He has also served as an Illinois Department of Transportation ethics officer, an investigator and legal adviser in the inspector general's office, and a certified inspector general and investigator.
The interim appointment follows scrutiny of McCuskey's handling of investigations, particularly a sexual-harassment inquiry involving former state Rep. Harry Benton. Capitol News Illinois reported that McCuskey submitted his resignation after a lobbyist involved in the Benton matter challenged the accuracy and professionalism of the investigation. McCuskey's departure is effective at the end of September.
The transition is immediate in administrative terms but temporary in status. The commission set an October 31 application deadline for a permanent inspector general. Risley could remain through the current term ending June 30, 2028 if lawmakers do not install a permanent successor sooner, according to the commission coverage.
A permanent appointment requires action beyond the commission's interim selection. Under the ethics law, the commission recommends a candidate, but the General Assembly confirms the appointment by joint resolution. That structure gives legislators a direct role in choosing the official who examines alleged misconduct within their branch, one reason the office's independence remains central to the current reform discussion.
The office investigates alleged violations of Illinois ethics law by members and employees of the General Assembly. The State Officials and Employees Ethics Act establishes the Legislative Ethics Commission and inspector general framework, including investigative duties and procedures. Complaints can still be submitted through the General Assembly's misconduct portal during the leadership change.
Risley's appointment does not settle the broader debate over the watchdog's authority. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that ethics specialists have sought statutory changes allowing the inspector general to issue subpoenas and publish reports without approval from the commission, whose membership includes eight legislators. Former inspector general Carol Pope similarly described the office as a “paper tiger” when she resigned in 2022.
Commission Chair Jeff Keicher, a Republican state representative from Sycamore, said the panel acted quickly because public confidence had been shaken. Democratic House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has separately formed a working group to consider Capitol workplace-culture changes, while lawmakers in both parties have discussed possible ethics legislation for the veto session. No specific reform package has yet been enacted.
For Illinois residents and state workers, the near-term consequence is continuity: complaints and pending investigative work will have an identified leader beginning October 1. The longer-term questions—who receives the permanent appointment and whether lawmakers expand the office's independence—remain open.
