Rickey R. Hendon

Before running for the state senate, Hendon was alderman of the 27th ward in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to that, he was Secretary and Treasurer for the Cook County Forest Preserve.

Hendon became an Illinois State Senator in 1992. He served as an Assistant Majority Leader, Co-Chairman of the Senate Executive Appointments Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Environment and Energy Committee and a member of the Labor and Commerce Committee and the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus.

Hendon sponsored legislation that would create a pilot program in the Chicago Public School that allows the Chicago Board of Education to establish a program to discourage criminal behavior by providing prison tours.

Because of his interest in health care, Hendon sponsored a bill designed to assist low-income families on Medicaid, by restricting the co-payment for brand name drugs to $3 and eliminating co-pay for generic drugs.

Another recent bill Hendon sponsored was aimed at expanding opportunities for minority owned businesses to compete and ultimately bring additional film projects and television studios to Illinois.

There was substantial tension between Hendon and then colleague Barack Obama, culminating after five years in a 2002 shoving match.Eli Saslow, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/08/AR2008100803890.html From Outsider To Politician], The Washington Post, October 9, 2008 Nonetheless, Hendon supported Obama in the 2008 presidential election.

In 2009, Senator Hendon was a principal proponent of a bill for $31 billion in capital-spending for education passed in May by the state Legislature. Part of the bill would have ensured that 40 million in funds would go to Chicago State University for a West Side campus. The interim president said he had no knowledge of plans for West Side branch. However, a 2007 feasibility study indicated strong community and prospective student support for a satellite campus.{{cite news|last=Leventis |first=Angie |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/college/chi-chicago-state-31-aug31,0,7740389.story |title=Chicago State gets $40 million surprise |publisher=chicagotribune.com |date=2009-08-31 |accessdate=2010-08-29}} He resigned his elected office in the Illinois State on 2/24/11.

In October 2010, a federal grand jury issued subpoenas for state grants sponsored by Hendon, and there is currently an investigation going on regarding those grants.{{cite news| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/10/28/feds-subpoena-west-side-grant-programs-2/ | work=Chicago Tribune | first=Ray | last=Gibson | title=Feds subpoena West Side grant programs | date=October 28, 2010}} In that same month, Hendon made "nasty" remarks about State Senator Bill Brady, who was the Republican nominee for Governor.{{cite news| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/25/rickey-hendon-calls-bill-_n_773336.html | work=Huffington Post | first=Jen | last=Sabella | title=Rickey Hendon Calls Bill Brady 'Racist', 'Homophobic' (VIDEO) | date=October 25, 2010}} While introducing Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Hendon told the crowd that he had "never served with such an idiotic, racist, sexist, homophobic person in my life... If you think that women have no rights whatsoever, except to have his children, vote for Bill Brady. If you think gay and lesbian people need to be locked up and shot in the head, vote for Bill Brady."{{cite web |url=http://chicagoist.com/2010/10/24/rickey_hendon_blasts_bill_brady_cal.php |title=Rickey Hendon Blasts Bill Brady, Calls Him 'Racist, Homophobic': Chicagoist |website=chicagoist.com |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106193745/http://chicagoist.com/2010/10/24/rickey_hendon_blasts_bill_brady_cal.php |archive-date=6 November 2017 |url-status=dead}} Hendon's remarks were immediately disavowed by Governor Quinn, among others, and Hendon was sharply criticized by members of the Illinois media.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/10/quinn-disavows-hendon-comments-rips-brady-on-social-issues.html|title = Chicago Breaking News - Chicago Tribune| date=25 June 2023 }} Hendon later tried to apologize to Brady on the Senate floor, but Brady would not accept his apology.{{Cite web|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2010/12/02/state-sen-bill-brady-refuses-rickey-hendon-apology/|title=State Sen. Bill Brady Refuses Rickey Hendon Apology|date=2 December 2010}}

Hendon was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He and his wife, Dawn, have five children. They attend Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Hendon was leader of the Senate softball team. In 1992 he wrote and starred in the film "Butterscotch and Chocolate."{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.ilga.gov/senate/Senator.asp?MemberID=1215 Senator Rickey R. Hendon (D) 5th District] official Illinois General Assembly site
• [http://ilga.gov/senate/SenatorBills.asp?MemberID=1215 Bills] [http://ilga.gov/senate/SenCommittees.asp?MemberID=1215 Committees]
• {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=6264 | fec= | congress= }}
• [http://www.senatedem.ilga.gov/page_display.asp?PID=19 Senator Rickey R. Hendon] at Illinois State Senate Democrats
• {{C-SPAN|9272222}}

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Category:1953 births

Category:Living people

Category:African-American state legislators in Illinois

Category:Illinois state senators

Category:Politicians from Cleveland

Category:Chicago City Council members

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:20th-century African-American politicians

Category:21st-century members of the Illinois General Assembly