Chambana Sun

Illinois State House Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) was not available to discuss an apparent suggestion by one of her Democratic colleagues that castration would solve the issue of abortion in Illinois.

"Due to Rep. Ammons' busy schedule, unfortunately, she will not be able to hold an interview at this time," a spokeswoman said in an email to the Chambana Sun. 

Ammons is a co-sponsor of the Reproductive Health Act, House Bill 2495, which would repeal and replace Illinois' current abortion law and make abortion a fundamental right in the state. HB 2495 is widely viewed as a hedge against the possible overturn of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v Wade decision, and its passage seems likely.

Illinois State House Rep. Diane Pappas (D-Itasca) | facebook.com/DianeForStateRep

Ammons has represented the 103rd State House District since January 2015, following her upset win in the Democratic primary the previous year over Sam Rosenberg. Rosenberg had the endorsement of retiring Rep. Naomi Jakobsson and substantial financial backing from the state's powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, but Ammons won the primary with almost 57 percent of the vote. Ammons later defeated Republican Kristin Williamson in the general election, taking more than 61 percent of the vote.

The Chambana Sun's request for comment from Ammons came less than a week after Wayne Township Republican trustee Jackie Hayden published her account of a meeting in which state Rep. Diane Pappas (D-Itasca) suggested to a DuPage County pro-life group that castration would be a way to reduce the number of abortions in Illinois.

Hayden reported that Pappas said, "You know ladies, with technology the way it is, we wouldn't have an abortion problem if we applied a plan. Now, I've been told it's a bit radical, but if we allowed men to be castrated, took the sperm to the bank, collected tax dollars on it for storage, then when it's time, to have the man decide he's ready to begin a family . . . well, then the problem is solved."

Hayden said Pappas made the comment when Hayden and "a group of concerned citizens" met with Pappas at the lawmaker's district office in Bloomingdale in early April to discuss HB 2495. HB 2495, which would make Illinois the least restrictive abortion state in the nation, has been in the House Rules Committee.

Hayden's recollections about what Pappas allegedly said were published on the Wayne County Republican Organization's website and as an op-ed piece in DuPage Policy Journal. The story has attracted little attention outside of conservative publications in Illinois.

Pappas, a freshman lawmaker who defeated Republican incumbent Christine Winger in November to take over the state House 45th District seat, has not responded to requests for additional comment following publication of Hayden's allegations. The 45th district is located in northern DuPage County and includes all or parts of Addison, Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Itasca, Medinah, Roselle, Wayne, West Chicago, and Wood Dale.