A jury found all “ComEd Four” defendants guilty of bribing Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation. It was an alarm for Springfield lawmakers that half-measures don’t work and lasting ethics reform is needed in Illinois.

The four top lobbyists and executives at the state’s largest electric utility were convicted May 2 for their involvement in a multi-year scheme to funnel $1.3 million in jobs, contracts and payments to sway the former Illinois House Speaker.

The ComEd 4 corruption trial proves concentrated power breeds corruption. The fix? Reform the rules former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan crafted to concentrate all that power.

The Illinois House has rolled back reforms made to its House Rules that govern how it conducts business in the wake of the Madigan Com-Ed scandal. New boss, same as the old boss?

A package of anti-corruption bills were introduced in the Illinois Senate: one prohibits lawmakers from using campaign money to pay for legal defense, another fines felonious politicians $100,000 and one takes away their specialty license plates.

Now that the 103rd Illinois General Assembly is sworn in, an early order of business will be to establish the rules of the chambers. Those rules need more reform to ensure another Mike Madigan doesn’t gather too much power.

Illinois saw more than its fair share of corruption and misconduct again in 2022, but some politicians stood out in a crowded field.