Illinois State Sen. Manar resigns to become senior advisor to Pritzker

SPRINGFIELD – Democratic state Sen. Andy Manar of downstate Bunker Hill announced Monday he will resign from the General Assembly effective Jan. 17 to join the governor’s office as an advisor two days later.

The announcement marked the second high-profile resignation from the state Senate in one week’s time, as Minority Leader Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, announced his immediate resignation on Dec. 31.

Manar announced his resignation shortly after noon Monday, and within 20 minutes Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced he would hire Manar as a senior advisor. Manar will be paid $278,000, annually according to the governor’s office, half of which will be paid out from a limited liability company created by Pritzker to compensate several of his top aides beyond their state payrolls. That company is East Jackson Street LLC.

The rate of pay is more than three-and-a-half times Manar’s Senate salary, which was $79,100 in 2019, according to a state database run through the Illinois Comptroller’s office.

Read more: https://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/illinois-state-sen-manar-resigns-to-become-senior-advisor-to-pritzker/article_e112a9a1-95a8-5c20-9cfe-1a38ddc1e329.html
(Quad City Times)