A former federal prosecutor who investigated crimes against humanity committed by Saddam Hussein will be tasked with probing allegations of misconduct by Illinois lawmakers beginning next month.
The bipartisan Legislative Ethics Commission named David Risley as acting legislative inspector general effective Oct. 1, taking the place of Michael McCuskey, who last week announced his resignation at the end of the month in the wake of complaints over his handling of sexual harassment allegations that have roiled Springfield.
Risley, who previously worked as an investigator under former LIG Carol Pope, was an assistant U.S. attorney for Illinois’ central district, and he served in the U.S. Regime Crimes Liaison Office investigating crimes against humanity in Iraq.
Risley is also a former ethics officer for the state Department of Transportation who has maintained a part-time advisor role in the LIG’s office, and he has hosted a podcast on crime and criminal justice policy since 2019, according to his professional website.
McCuskey, a former federal judge, has held the post since 2022, but he came under fire this summer for his investigation into ex-state Rep. Harry Benton, the Plainfield Democrat who stepped down in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.
McCuskey determined Benton broke state law by sexually harassing three women, including a lobbyist who later rebutted several “inaccuracies” in the inspector general’s report and said McCuskey didn’t take notes or record their interview.
The case separately raised questions about the judgment of Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who knew of allegations against Benton two years before the ones that led to the representative’s ouster, but still directed $1.4 million to his reelection campaign.
“The position of Legislative Inspector General is too important to sit vacant, especially in the context of the current moment,” Ethics Commission Chair state Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, said in a statement. “The public’s trust has understandably been shaken by recent events, which is why the Commission has acted swiftly to fill the position to provide a seamless transition. We are committed to ensuring the highest ethical standards are enforced and that all complainants, respondents and witnesses are given the due process and consideration they deserve.”
Risley becomes the newest face of an office that has failed to rein in Springfield’s entrenched culture of harassment — largely because lawmakers haven’t given it the teeth to independently oversee the Capitol.
When she stepped down as LIG in 2021, Pope dismissed the post as “essentially a paper tiger” while declaring that “true ethics reform is not a priority” for lawmakers.
Ethics experts have long called for changes to state law to allow the LIG to issue subpoenas and publish reports without the approval of the ethics commission, which includes eight lawmakers.
Risley can serve until the current LIG term ends in mid-2028, but the ethics commission is seeking applicants to take on the permanent role well before then.