by Dave Dahl
A state lawmaker dropped an F-bomb on the House floor Tuesday when a colleague said she wished his family would die.
They were debating a bill that would increase the limit of awards in certain lawsuits — for example, when loved ones of those who died of Legionnaires’ disease at the state veterans’ home in Quincy — from $100,000 to $2 million.
State Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) said the bill would be unaffordable for state taxpayers – and a boon to personal injury lawyers.
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego), referring to Breen, said, “I’d like to make him a broth of legionella and pump it into the water system of his loved one, so that they can be infected, they can be mistreated, they can sit and suffer by getting aspirin instead of being properly treated, and ultimately die.”
Breen’s mic was not on when he shouted something about “my f—in’ family.”
Kifowit later said her remarks were misinterpreted and that she was making a hypothetical statement: “Imagine if it were your family.”
The legislature did override the veto.
SB 2481 has passed the Senate, 46-8, and the House, 71-36, over the governor’s veto.