Across the table, his legislative assistant Randi Rickert picked up a spoon and began idly stirring her bowl of plain yogurt. She was very thin and intended to stay that way. “Any progress with Wilgis?” she asked, referring to Langmeyer’s fellow representative, William “Willy” Wilgis (D-Kankakee). “Hard to tell,” Langmeyer replied. “He’s a crafty old son of a gun. Nearly thirty years in the Illinois House, and still nobody can ever confidently predict which way he’ll go on any given bill. He’s been anti-abortion, but pro gun control. For an increase in taxes for schools, against teacher evaluation. You just never know with Wilgis. But I need him to be with me on the video slots bill. He is a powerful force, particulary with his downstate colleagues. They call him Wily Willy. “You’ll meet Wilgis later this morning,” Langmeyer added. “He’s agreed to see me at his hotel downtown.
