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Quad City lawmaker playing video games during education funding debate

The head of the Rock Island County Republican Party is speaking out about a video showing a Democratic lawmaker playing video games during a major debate on hig...

MOLINE, Illinois - The head of the Rock Island County Republican Party is speaking out about a video showing a Democratic lawmaker playing video games during a major debate on higher education in Springfield last month.

"We're in a crisis, and he's playing video games?" said Chairman Bill Bloom on Monday, May 16, 2016.

State Rep. Mike Smiddy, (D)- Cordova, is seen playing games on his phone, while lawmakers are debating restoring millions of dollars in funding for colleges and universities lost during the year-long budget impasse in Illinois.

Smiddy has two schools in his area, Western Illinois University and Black Hawk Junior College.

Television station WCIA and their camera found Smiddy playing video games in his seat.

"I knew about the higher education bill. I had been in caucus. I knew what it was going to do for my schools, both Western and Black Hawk," Smiddy said.

The Rock Island County Republicans posted the video on their Facebook page over the weekend.

"If his work is so uninteresting, then why is he there?" Bloom said.

 

 

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