Five key supporters of the progressive tax in the Illinois General Assembly are facing corruption probes. Four have been charged. Three have resigned.

It’s the third time in 20 years a committee has been formed to investigate misconduct by a state lawmaker. Day 1 was brief.

The special investigative committee will determine whether Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan should be disciplined after being implicated in the ComEd bribery scandal.

Illinois’ high levels of corruption damage the state’s economy, costing it $10.6 billion since 2000. States with higher levels of corruption average lower levels of economic growth.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sees no patronage problem in his administration – not that there’s no patronage, just that he apparently doesn’t see it as a problem.

Pressure continues to build to repair Illinois’ broken ethics laws, as more Democrats demand reform and more lawmakers face corruption charges.

America’s longest-serving House speaker is facing mounting pressure from within his own party over corruption implications in the federal case against ComEd.

Three state lawmaker corruption probes led Illinois’ governor to call for three resignations, but the fourth involving Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan received a weaker response.

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