Has your Illinois state representative called on Madigan to resign?

By Ben Szalinski

08/04/2020

Pressure is growing on the longest-serving state House speaker in American history to resign as federal investigators probe his relationships with corporate lobbyists.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, Mike Madigan

Multiple ‘fair tax’ proponents in Springfield implicated in federal probes

By Ben Szalinski

07/22/2020

Multiple state lawmakers have been charged or associated with criminal conduct after passing the progressive income tax amendment on to voters.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, fair tax, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Pritzker defends Madigan-backed hire to oversee ComEd

By Ben Szalinski

07/22/2020

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s relationship with ComEd is under strict scrutiny by federal investigators after he was implicated in bribery charges filed against the electrical company.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Madigan subpoena shows far reach of federal investigation

By Ben Szalinski

07/20/2020

The Illinois House speaker was implicated in criminal charges filed against electrical company ComEd.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, federal investigation, Mike Madigan

With feds circling Madigan, Illinoisans will vote on his power

By Austin Berg

07/20/2020

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan's iron grip has five fingers: the rules, the party, the map, the law firm, and taxpayer-funded patronage.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, federal investigation, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Democratic state senator calls on Madigan to resign

By Ben Szalinski

07/17/2020

Madigan was implicated in bribery charges filed against ComEd. Calls for his resignation are starting.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Madigan’s office served with grand jury subpoena

By Ben Szalinski, Brad Weisenstein

07/17/2020

America’s longest-serving politician is at the center of a federal corruption investigation into lobbying, bribery and using ComEd for political patronage jobs.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, Mike Madigan, patronage

Illinois ethics panel begins with small ethical lapse

By Ben Szalinski

12/23/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed a former state lawmaker to his panel on ethics and lobbying. Trouble was, the lawmaker had recently worked as a lobbyist.

TAGS: Christine Radogno, ComEd, ethics, ethics task force, federal investigation, Heather Steans, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, lobbying, Michael McClain, Mike Madigan, revolving door, Rod Blagojevich, Springfield

Chicago City Council votes to ban lobbying by elected leaders

By Ben Szalinski

12/20/2019

Chicago’s second round of anti-corruption rules restricts aldermen and city employees from working as lobbyists and stops other elected leaders from lobbying city government for private clients.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, Chicago City Council, ComEd, corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, John Cullerton, Larry Suffredin, lawmakers, lobbying, Lori Lightfoot, Luis Arroyo, Michael Zalewski, Michele Smith, Mike Madigan, ordinance, Springfield, Terry Link

Sexual harassment case against Madigan campaign ends with $275K settlement

By Brad Weisenstein

12/09/2019

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan settled a sexual harassment case involving his former political lieutenant, but the related corruption implications are far from over.

TAGS: #metoo, AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Alaina Hampton, ComEd, Democratic Party, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, federal lawsuit, house rules, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois House of Representatives, Kevin Quinn, Legislative Inspector General, lobbying, Mike Madigan, sexual harrassment, Springfield, Tim Mapes

To prevent political bribery in Illinois, change the House Rules

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s power over Illinois politics is more precarious than ever. A steady stream of federal investigations, wiretaps and raids of people close to him, a deferred prosecution agreement with Commonwealth Edison wherein the utility giant admitted to bribing the speaker, and a grand jury subpoena served to Madigan’s office have led...

View Report

To prevent political bribery in Illinois, change the House Rules

Report Archive

Carrie Schindler

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students