The Susana Mendoza era is underway in the Illinois Comptroller's office. Mendoza will continue the policy of putting lawmakers in the back of the line for overdue payments.

Mendoza accused her predecessor Leslie Munger of making the delayed payments to lawmakers a move for political reasons. A handful of lawmakers sued Munger for overdue paychecks. She said the decision should have come months earlier. Meanwhile, Mendoza, who was dressed in a red suit belonging to Judy Baar Topinka, promised the continued bipartisanship and independence Topinka brought to the office.

Mendoza also said she and staffers were denied access to the Comptroller's office prior to the swearing in.