Derrick Smith expulsion hearing underway

Lawmakers in Springfield are now debating whether to throw State Rep. Derrick Smith out of office. Smith, accused of taking bribes, is an unexcused no-show at the hearing.

The chamber was silent through four speakers, including Rep. Chuck Jefferson (D-Rocford), who was Smith’s only defender. “What happens if…he’s innocent?”

Said Rep. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet): “This isn’t a speeding ticket…This goes to the very core of our democracy.”