State Rep. Introduces Bill To Create Recall Mechanism For Chicago Mayor

(CBS) -- The protesters calling for the ouster of Mayor Rahm Emanuel have been stifled because there is no mechanism to do so but, a member of the Illinois general assembly wants to change that with a bill that would provide a way to call a special election to recall the mayor of Chicago.

"The people have lost confidence in the mayor and until he can regain confidence, we have to have something in place that we can try to bring the city together," said Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-8th District).

The bill proposes that a recall election can be initiated by a petition with signatures totaling at least 15 percent of the total votes cast in the previous mayoral election. It would need at least 50 votes from each ward in Chicago and must be signed by at least two aldermen.

Ford introduced the bill today, but, it's a long way from going anywhere. It's up to House Speaker Michael Madigan to call the bill up for consideration.

If the petition is validated by board of election commissioners, a recall election would be held no more than 100 days after the petition was filed.

If that were to happen, consultant Don Rose says, "Between these police shootings and the property tax bills people will be getting in the summer, he could think he'd be quaking in his boots."

Ford drafted the bill two weeks ago.

"I've been holding out on it because it's not something I really, really wanted to do," he said.

Then he saw today's speech and the protests.

"It's at a boiling point," Ford said. "This is the moment that black people have been waiting for and white people too because black people are not the only ones who look for justice for all."

That said he doesn't see the governor signing the bill to put forward a recall if it gets to his desk.

Activists have been protesting calling for Emanuel to resign since video showing a police officer fatally shoot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was made public.