Mike Jacobs: Alleged puncher, or is it pusher?
Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) accused Jacobs of walking up to him after a debate and cursing at him and then punching him in the chest. Reports vary, though, whether the physical confrontation was more a "push" than a "punch."
Either way, the state attorney for Sangamon County (in which Springfield is located) said yesterday that the matter would best be resolved internally within the Senate and not in the criminal courts.
Moments before the May 31 incident, the Senate had been considering a bill (sponsored by Jacobs) that would allow electric companies to raise rates to establish a "Smart Grid" intended to ultimately conserve and improve performance.
During the Senate debate, McCarter pointed out that Jacobs' father is a lobbyist for the utility company Commonwealth Edison, which stands to benefit from the bill. It's that remark that apparently prompted Jacobs to confront and allegedly assault McCarter.
The Smart Grid bill, btw, passed the Senate and is now before the governor.
