Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan made a pitch for keeping his leadership despite a federal corruption probe. He told Black state lawmakers he can deliver a tax hike and a new legislative map, again favoring Democrats.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.