SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) released the following statement in response to charges filed against former State Senator Martin Sandoval (D-Chicago):

“The charges filed against Martin Sandoval paint a clear picture of corruption. People in my community and across the state lose faith in our government because of cases like this. This year, we must rebuild public trust and enact real ethics reform. Our democracy depends on it.

While this situation is infuriating, it gives me hope because it means that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law. The house of cards is quickly falling, and we need to seize this moment to make sure that corrupt individuals can no longer game the system.”