Top House leaders face off over budget, pensions

The top Democrat and top Republican in the Illinois House traded jabs yesterday in a heated confrontation over state budget issues. 

Representative Tom Cross and his Republican colleagues repeatedly accused the Democratic majority of bargaining in bad faith. They used parliamentary moves to delay action and demanded explanations from House Speaker Michael Madigan. Visibly angry, Madigan suggested Republicans were trying to block the state budget because they aren't getting their way on cutting pension costs.