▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁In sur ance ▁Committee ▁and ▁was ▁an ▁Ass istant ▁Democratic ▁Le ader . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Senate . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁being ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Senate , ▁he ▁also ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Executive ▁Committee . ▁He ▁lost ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁b ids ▁for ▁a ▁con gression al ▁seat ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Jones ▁had ▁a ▁big ▁hand ▁in ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ’ s ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁win ▁by ▁introdu cing ▁the ▁then ▁little - known ▁liberal ▁state ▁sen ator ▁to ▁the ▁right ▁people ▁and ▁letting ▁him ▁handle ▁some ▁important ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁help ▁raise ▁his ▁political ▁profile . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Jones ▁at ▁first ▁refused ▁to ▁call ▁the ▁Senate ▁into ▁session ▁to ▁vote ▁on ▁eth ics ▁legisl ation ▁that ▁had ▁passed ▁the ▁House , ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁ 1 5 - day ▁limit ▁for ▁the ▁Senate ▁to ▁look ▁at ▁the ▁legisl ation ▁didn ' t ▁come ▁into ▁effect ▁until ▁the ▁Senate ▁came ▁back ▁into ▁session . ▁After ▁Ob ama ▁ur ged ▁Jones ▁to ▁change ▁his ▁mind , ▁Jones ▁released ▁a ▁statement ▁saying ▁he ▁would ▁call ▁the ▁Senate ▁into ▁session , ▁saying ▁in ▁a ▁statement : ▁" I ▁plan ▁to ▁call ▁the ▁Senate ▁back ▁into ▁session ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁eth ics , ▁only ▁at ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁my ▁friend