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

Madigan leadership team member becomes 19th vote opposing him as House speaker

By Brad Weisenstein

12/01/2020

Enough Illinois House Democrats already said they would vote to end Mike Madigan’s 35 years as speaker but losing a party leader will make it much more difficult for him to retain power.

TAGS: corruption, Illinois House of Representatives, Kathleen Willis, Mike Madigan

Pritzker, other top Democrats want Madigan out as party leader

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

Bill to remove nearly 100 red-light cameras advances to House floor

02/06/2020

The proposal to limit red-light cameras in Illinois is making progress as another bill’s sponsor believes she can garner the votes to ban them entirely.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, home rule, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois House of Representatives, Jonathan Carroll, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Springfield, Susana Mendoza

Former state Rep. Arroyo pleads not guilty to bribery charge

02/05/2020

Arroyo resigned from his seat in the Illinois General Assembly after his arrest in October on bribery charges. He now faces up to 10 years in prison for bribery.

TAGS: bribery, corruption, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, graduated income tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Senate, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, lobbying, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, progressive income tax, red light cameras, Springfield, tax fraud, Terry Link

Illinois police serve search warrant at Madigan’s Springfield office, looking for evidence of sexual assault, battery by former state lawmaker

By Austin Berg

02/01/2020

State police executed the search warrant in an attempt to find evidence of criminal behavior by former Democratic state Rep. Jack Franks.

TAGS: corruption, fair maps, fair tax, graduated income tax, house rules, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois House of Representatives, illinois state police, independent maps, investigation, Jack Franks, JB Pritzker, legislative map, Mike Madigan, progressive income tax, redistricting, rules committee, search warrant, sexual harrassment, Springfield, State of the State

Leaving child Home Alone could land parents in jail this holiday season

12/19/2019

Illinois’ restrictive and vague laws could mean arrest for parents who leave their kids at home while they run a quick holiday errand.

TAGS: Chicago, Christmas, Corey Widen, criminal justice reform, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Senate, lawmakers, Natasha Felix, overcriminalization, police, Wilmette, Winnetka

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

Illinois lawmakers should hold Pritzker to his ‘fair maps’ promise

By Austin Berg

12/03/2019

Even without a constitutional amendment, there are changes lawmakers could make as soon as session resumes to get politics out of mapmaking.

TAGS: bipartisan, ethics, gerrymandering, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Senate, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, legislative district, legislative map, redistricting, Springfield

Leaked emails from federal investigation reveal Madigan as ‘Himself’

By Austin Berg

11/21/2019

Federal authorities have obtained phone calls and emails from a key member of Madigan's political inner circle. Now that information is leaking.

TAGS: #metoo, Chicago Tribune, ComEd, corruption, Democratic Party, federal investigation, Illinois, Illinois House of Representatives, Kevin Quinn, Mike Madigan, Mike McClain, sexual harrassment

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

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Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

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Susie Warden

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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