Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s vacated 22nd District House seat has a new occupant — the second replacement in four days — after Madigan asked his first choice to step down this week in an embarrassment to the normally fastidious Democratic boss.

Madigan on Thursday appointed Angie Guerrero-Cuellar to the seat he held for more than 50 years, using his power as Chicago’s 13th Ward committeeman. Madigan had far and away the most weighted votes of the committee of five who convened to make the replacement to make the appointment unilaterally.

Taxpayers could be on the hook for the full monthly salary for three state lawmakers from one district for the month of February alone.

Illinois’ comptroller says the arcane state law must change. The law requires lawmakers to be paid for the full month even if they don’t work the full month.

If you suspect Illinois has inordinate number of local governments, each one draining your pocketbook, you’re right. Only it’s a lot worse than you suspected.

A new report released today by the Civic Federation finds that Illinois actually has more local governments than the number currently reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. Instead of 6,918 combined townships, school districts, counties, mosquito abatement districts and the like, Illinois in reality has 8,923.

Illinois kicked off February with one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, fueling frustration among many over the program’s sluggish start.

Nearly three weeks later, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the state was making progress thanks to increased supply from the federal government and the efforts of local health departments.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Thursday picked a second replacement for a seat he vacated just last week. As he did with his first replacement, selected Sunday, Madigan didn’t ask any questions of the second person he selected, Angie Guerrero-Cuellar.

Some are calling for the process to be more transparent.

The man who called me, a long-retired Chicago police officer, was alternately charming and curt. He insisted he had nothing to do with the murder.

“All the things you wrote in your letter to me are not true,” he said, speaking slowly, his voice occasionally shaky. “Everything in there is a fucking lie.”