Madigan’s reign ends as longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history

By Austin Berg

01/13/2021

Illinoisans watched the politically impossible become the politically inevitable.

TAGS: Chris Welch, corruption, House Speaker, Illinois House of Representatives, Mike Madigan

Illinois House in limbo until speaker is elected

By Joe Tabor

01/12/2021

With Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan reportedly short of the 60 votes needed to hold on to the speakership, Illinois House members will have to line up behind a new candidate before they can get down to business.

TAGS: House Rules Committee, House Speaker, Mike Madigan, voting

Illinois was most corrupt of 10 largest states under Madigan’s reign

By Joe Tabor

01/12/2021

Illinois averaged over one federal public corruption conviction a week during the Madigan era. That is the most convictions per capita among the top 10 most populous states between 1983 and 2018.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, House Speaker, Mike Madigan

51 House Democrats back Madigan for speaker in caucus vote

By Austin Berg

01/11/2021

See who your representative backed in a historic fight for the Illinois House speakership.

TAGS: corruption, House Speaker, lame duck session, Mike Madigan

Madigan suspends campaign for House speaker

By Austin Berg

01/11/2021

The most powerful speaker in American history may finally be stepping aside amid a wide-ranging federal corruption probe.

TAGS: corruption, House Speaker, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Mike Madigan

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

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

Democrat challenges Madigan for Illinois House speaker

By Ben Szalinski

10/01/2020

After his implication in a bribery scandal and investigation by an Illinois House committee, Mike Madigan in January will face a Democratic challenger for House speaker. House candidates now need to say where they stand on Madigan.

TAGS: House Speaker, Mike Madigan, Stephanie Kifowit

Madigan celebrates 35th anniversary as Illinois House speaker

By Austin Berg

01/12/2020

Illinoisans will soon cast a vote on the biggest ballot question in the history of Madigan’s record-breaking speakership.

TAGS: credit rating, Daley, debt, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, graduated income tax, house rules, House Speaker, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, legislative map, lobbying, Mike Madigan, patronage, progressive income tax, property taxes, redistricting, Richard Daley, Springfield, tax burden, U.S. Census Bureau