State lawmakers today remembered Rep. as someone who brought a unique passion to standing up for his Lake County constituents, especially those who had done wrong but needed a second chance.Washington, 56, was back in his Waukegan district Friday when he died of a heart attack, according to Lake County Democratic Party Chairman Terry Link, who's also a state senator. "Eddie always felt that if somebody had strayed and done their time for it, then they deserved another chance," Link said. "He worked in Springfield on recidivism programs, on getting people back to work if they had been behind bars for something and done their time."
Washington, a former Lake County corrections officer, was the first African American elected to the General Assembly from Lake County. He has served in Springfield since 2003. Washington was chairman of the Prison Reform Committee and the Committee on Aging, and also sat on the Mass Transit Committee, the Workers' Compensation Committee and the Appropriations Committee, according to his House biography.
"You never knew what issue would cause Eddie to get up and speak, but you knew when he did speak he was going to speak from the heart," said Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago.
Washington, a former Lake County corrections officer, was the first African American elected to the General Assembly from Lake County. He has served in Springfield since 2003. Washington was chairman of the Prison Reform Committee and the Committee on Aging, and also sat on the Mass Transit Committee, the Workers' Compensation Committee and the Appropriations Committee, according to his House biography.
"You never knew what issue would cause Eddie to get up and speak, but you knew when he did speak he was going to speak from the heart," said Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago.
