Illinois teachers’ unions funnel nearly $3.9 million to Madigan

By Mailee Smith

08/17/2020

Teachers’ unions have provided lots of campaign cash to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who’s been implicated in a bribery scandal. Teachers who don’t want their money sent to a corrupt system can opt out of the union.

TAGS: AFT: American Federation of Teachers, ComEd, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, Mike Madigan

62 former state lawmakers receiving more than $100K pensions

06/05/2020

Illinois’ broken pension system puts $100,000 a year or more into the hands of 62 former state lawmakers. It has paid more than $1 million to 94 of them.

TAGS: Arthur L. Berman, Barbara Flynn Currie, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Jim Edgar, lawmaker pay, Lou Lang, Pat Quinn, pensions

Why Illinois state lawmakers are still in line for an $1,800 pay raise

By Austin Berg

05/28/2020

Illinois lawmakers are still likely to receive a $1,800 pay raise. But some have tried their best to make no waves by giving themselves cover from backlash.

TAGS: lawmaker pay

Illinois budget includes automatic $1,800 pay raise for state lawmakers

By Austin Berg

05/22/2020

With more than 1.1 million Illinoisans out of work, some of the highest-paid state lawmakers in the nation are in line for a raise – though some are fighting back.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, lawmaker pay

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

By Austin Berg

02/20/2020

Illinois’ political leadership learned nothing from the Blagojevich nightmare. And now it may be coming back to bite them.

TAGS: Commonwealth Edison, commutation, corruption, Donald Trump, ethics task force, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Mike Madigan, Rod Blagojevich

Madigan’s money: AFSCME spending trail reveals extensive and hidden political activity

By Mailee Smith, Joe Tabor

11/01/2018

AFSCME Council 31, its PAC and AFSCME headquarters are major political players, funneling millions of dollars every year to Democrats or self-proclaimed progressive organizations.

Rigged: How Illinois’ labor laws stack the deck against taxpayers

By Mailee Smith

12/14/2017

If Illinois is going to compete with its neighbors – and keep people from moving out of the state – it must reduce the enormous property tax burden its families are forced to bear. Following the lead of surrounding states by enacting collective bargaining reforms is one good place to start.

Madigan’s rules: How Illinois gives its House speaker power to manipulate and control the legislative process

By Joe Tabor, Ted Dabrowski

01/04/2017

The little-known legislative rules that govern the legislative process in the Illinois House of Representatives give the House speaker extraordinary power to orchestrate the legislative or political outcomes he or she wants. Those rules allow the speaker to influence the makeup of legislative committees; how lawmakers vote; and when, if ever, the bills get voted...

The cost of Illinois’ lawmakers

By John Klingner, Ted Dabrowski

07/26/2016

Illinois lawmakers pay themselves the fifth-highest annual lawmaker base salary in the country.

New app gives Illinois voters access to legislation, timely legislative information

By Jane McEnaney

10/09/2014

Since January 2013, the Illinois General Assembly has filed 6,305 bills in the House and 3,667 bills in the Senate. These figures don’t account for the myriad amendments that are tacked on to many bills before the full legislature votes on them. With that many pieces of legislation, the average concerned citizen needs a mechanism...

United States House of Representatives

Illinois teachers’ unions funnel nearly $3.9 million to Madigan

62 former state lawmakers receiving more than $100K pensions

Why Illinois state lawmakers are still in line for an $1,800 pay raise

Illinois budget includes automatic $1,800 pay raise for state lawmakers

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

Madigan’s money: AFSCME spending trail reveals extensive and hidden political activity

Rigged: How Illinois’ labor laws stack the deck against taxpayers

Madigan’s rules: How Illinois gives its House speaker power to manipulate and control the legislative process

The cost of Illinois’ lawmakers

New app gives Illinois voters access to legislation, timely legislative information

Illinois Forward 2027: How to fix Illinois’ state finances

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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