Pritzker demands answers from Madigan as more Illinois lawmakers seek resignation

By Ben Szalinski

11/20/2020

Madigan already had lost enough support to end his 35-year run as House speaker, but the gap continued to widen as Illinois’ governor added his rebuke.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, House Speaker, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, Mike McClain

Madigan opposition hits critical mass as his confidant, 3 others charged in ComEd bribery scandal

By Ben Szalinski

11/19/2020

The indictments are the closest yet to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s inner circle. Now enough Democrats are pledging they won’t support him to cost him the speaker’s gavel.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, house, House Speaker, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Jay Doherty, madigan, Mike Madigan, Mike McClain, reform

Madigan’s legacy of corruption will survive his downfall, unless …

By Joe Tabor

11/19/2020

After decades under Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s rule, Illinois is corroding from his concentration of power. Robust ethics laws, rules and norms could stop a new Madigan from rising.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, house, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, madigan, Mike Madigan, Mike McClain, reform, speaker

Man who recorded Madigan, led Burke charges, pleads guilty

By Ben Szalinski

11/16/2020

A Chinatown developer made the recording in 2014, which is still a piece to a lengthy federal investigation.

TAGS: corruption, Ed Burke, federal investigation, Mike Madigan

Pritzker renews push to end federal oversight of state hiring

By Ben Szalinski

11/06/2020

The federal court system has been watching Illinois for patronage hiring since 1972. There’s little evidence the problem is fixed.

TAGS: corruption, good government, JB Pritzker, Shakman decrees

Pritzker, other top Democrats want Madigan out as party leader

By Ben Szalinski

11/06/2020

On the heels of losing his signature “fair tax,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants House Speaker Mike Madigan out as the state Democratic leader. Both U.S. senators also make that call.

TAGS: corruption, fair tax, House Speaker, Illinois House of Representatives, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Madigan loses support of another Democrat in Illinois House

By Ben Szalinski

10/23/2020

House Speaker Mike Madigan has now lost the support of eight Democrats in the House, with most seeking his immediate resignation, since he was implicated in a $1.3 million federal bribery scandal.

TAGS: corruption, Maurice West, Mike Madigan

Kilbride takes $550K from Madigan despite vowing not to accept ‘one penny’ from speaker’s committees

By Joe Tabor

10/23/2020

The Democratic Party of Illinois campaign committee, chaired by House Speaker Mike Madigan, recently contributed to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride’s retention campaign. Kilbride had sworn he would take no Madigan money.

TAGS: corruption, Illinois Supreme Court, Mike Madigan, Thomas Kilbride

Former ComEd executive pleads guilty in Madigan corruption probe

By Ben Szalinski

09/29/2020

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is at the center of a federal bribery investigation into Commonwealth Edison.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, Mike Madigan

Madigan gives $2M to Illinois Democratic Party, its largest donation in history

By Ben Szalinski

09/28/2020

Undaunted by his implication in a bribery scandal, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan within the past month transferred $3.25 million to the state party.

TAGS: corruption, Democratic Party, donation, Mike Madigan