By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD-It’s congratulations, or maybe condolences, for Mike McCuskey, a retired judge who is now legislative inspectors general, appointed Thursday after a fractious debate in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

While Peoria native McCuskey is seemingly universally respected, Republicans accused super majority Democrats of ramming the appointment through, as opposed to following their own rules to vet candidates. McCuskey says he knows politics, and he knows that discussion was not about him.

“A lot of my friends say, we’re glad you want to do public service again, but why do you want this job?” McCuskey says he can make a difference. “I’m old – 73 – my tank’s half full, but I think I can still do a good job for the people of the state of Illinois.”

Previous legislative inspectors general have quit, saying the job has no real power. McCuskey says he’d rather find out for himself.

He will field complaints – one sits on his desk already – and possibly refer them to the attorney general, a state’s attorney, or to the Legislative Ethics Commission.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].