The man generally considered the most powerful and possibly the most corrupt politician in Illinois abruptly resigned his seat in the state legislature Thursday after being denied another term as Speaker of the State House of Representatives.
Michael (Mike) Madigan, who for years has ruled the Illinois Democratic Party and political machine with an iron hand said he would give up at the end of February the seat he’d held for half a century as concerns mounted over what the Chicago Tribune called “a sprawling federal corruption probe” into events in which it has been suggested Madigan may have been involved.
The scandal that eventually brought the powerful Democratic leader down erupted after federal prosecutors said leaders of Commonwealth Edison had bribed Madigan associates in exchange for help from his political organization passing legislation deemed favorable to its interests. One of those most closely involved in the scheme was former state representative and ComEd lobbyist Michael McCain, whom the Tribune described as being “One of Madigan’s closest confidants.”
Madigan has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the scheme. Nonetheless, it is the straw that broke the camel’s back of a career that saw him looming large over every aspect of Illinois politics. More than a handful of his Democratic colleagues cited the scandal as the reason they could not vote to give him another term as Speaker.
“It’s no secret that I have been the target of vicious attacks by people who sought to diminish my many achievements lifting up the working people of Illinois,” Madigan said in a statement. “I have been resolute in my dedication to public service and integrity, always acting in the interests of the people of Illinois.”
His speakership, which began in 1983, lasted nearly 40 years and is one of the longest on record anywhere in the United States. Before his colleagues declined to re-elect him, the closest he ever came to losing his grip on power came in 1994 when, as part of the Contract of America election the Republicans won control of the Illinois Legislature for a single term.
His replacement as Speaker, Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, is seen as a Madigan loyalist who, in a statement thanked him for his “sincere and meaningful contributions to our state.”
“Under him, we’ve had strong, sustained Democratic leadership in Springfield,” Welch said, referring to the legalization of same-sex marriage, the Chicago Sun-Times reported, and the abolition of the death penalty, which began in earnest under former GOP Gov. George Ryan.
“Now we must build on that with a new generation of leadership focused on racial and gender equity in all dimensions, improving government transparency, and leading with the kind of conviction, compassion, and cooperation expected by our constituents,” Welch continued.
Big labor leaders whose alliances with Madigan were the source of his power also complemented the outgoing Speaker. Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter called him a “steadfast, dedicated, and courageous champion of workers and their families in Illinois for a generation,” the Sun-Times reported.
Despite his resignation, Madigan remains a significant player in Illinois politics – at least for the time being. He spawned a political dynasty that includes his adopted daughter Lisa, the Illinois Attorney General from 2003 to 2019. He will remain chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party and will continue to be the Democratic Committeeman for Chicago’s 13th Ward which, according to published reports, gives him an outsized role in picking his successor.
The federal probe into state corruption and any possible role Madigan may have played in it is expected to continue.
Peter Roff
Peter Roff is affiliated with several Washington, D.C. public policy organizations and is a former U.S. News and World Report contributing editor who appears regularly as a commentator on the One America News network. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeterRoff.
A crooked politician? Say it ain’t so! (sarc)
That’s a start.
And in Illinois no less, hmm.
One down, thousands of corrupt democrats to go.
Out with the whole lot of crooks
OMG I never thought I would live long enough to see the day this corrupt POS went down. Ding Dong the Witch is Dead….
I live in Illinois. People have tried to get of this RAT for many years. Finally his corruptness has caught up with him. FINALLY!!! Good riddance. Now a few more to go for this Illinois Swamp!
Just another poster child for Term Limits.
The corrupt Nazi biden is the most corrupt being in the USA
No way ,Joe Biden ,chuck shimmer ,Nancy peelousie
I think Joe Biden holds the title of most corrupt.
Piglousy if not dead even with CCP-Joe, a close second by a hair..
Most corrupt? Damn I thought it was Pelosi or Schumer. Made by day and ruined it in one sentence.
The financial miss managment of the State of Illinois under Madigan’s “leadership” is so bad it really is criminal. He used his power to buy votes by making promises to State employees and their pensions which were NEVER going to be sustainable, and as such has buried the tax payers of the State in DEBT. He made a fortune in real estate tax deals, at the expense of middle class home owners. He’s lucky he isn’t in prison…at least not yet.
One can only hope that is where he ends up, if for that which you claim is true! When the dems decide to eat each other, they swallow them whole. Just as Rahm?
dems have no problem with heaping praise on a fellow career politician caught stuffing his pockets for self-gain. Humm
Imagen him still on the dole nothing will change so stop celebrating we will never be rid of him 🤬
i thought they said they said the most corrupt dem, need to look at Biden. Obama ,Pelosi ,Chuckie ,Shift Maxine, and all the rest I don’t have time to list them all…
A crooked politician in Chit-cago say it isn’t so. 40+ years of driving that place in to the dismal hole that it is! It is the likes of these CAREER (grifters/politicians) in government that RUIN cities, and futures of citizens, of their communities for power and let’s not forget (MONEY)!
I noticed in this article that they are pushing their newest word, “equity”. They are purposely doing this for a deeper racism and a deeper equality for us to deal with. They are counting on us to not be able to see their indoctrination into our minds. They have to keep advancing into different words to fool us into believing their UN-common sense insanity lies. The communist’s are always busy “articulating” their warped and twisted word weave “to make good sound BAD, and to make their BAD sound good”.
Didn’t God warn us of this?!!! Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
They have to convince us that they are above us mere peons. They have been in office and power for so long it’s gone to their heads!!!! They have stolen their powerful offices that they are using to dictate our lives, and now we dare not question their absolute power, their absolute control over us and our paychecks, and their authority over us little iddy biddy nothing citizens. After all, they are convincing so many people that don’t have the ability to think for themselves that only God, our Creator, is the ONLY one who can control global conditions by controlling the sun, by controlling outer space conditions that are THE factor that controls our earth’s weather and conditions. Wow, they actually do think that they can control the sun and outer space weather with the more money that they confiscate from our paychecks. This will be the biggest ponzy scheme in the entire existence of our world. Woo Hoo for them! With ALL of our paychecks they can “Lasso the sun and throw a Molotov cocktail into outer space to cancel it’s affect on the earth”.
They are gods in their own minds, but they are NOT GOD. And, we will exceed the definition of stupid idiots if we even entertain listening to their insanity.
A corrupt Illonois Demon-crat? Who would have guessed? (note my sarcasm)
Long sustained Democrat leadership…
Lots of money funneled.
Delicious, if you don’t have to pay the bill.
Heck, from the headline I thought possibly Nancy “Puke”osi had resigned.
He’s out of office but he is still pulling all the strings to get his agenda going, but now he won’t e blamed for it when things go wrong . . . .and they will go wrong, It is Illinois and a D’genrat is pulling the strings
Let the hunt begin!!!
You would need to burn down the ILLINOIS HOUSE WITH ALL THE POLITICIANS IN IT TO GET ROD OF THE HORRIFIC CORRUPTION!!!
GET RID OF ALL THE DEMS….FRAUD PARTY!!!!!!!!
A crooked politician in Ill. How in the hell did they ever pick one?
Now if only Biden and his cronies would do the same.
I think that ruling with an iron hand is what has gotten him. With this kind of attitude, it would be very, very easy to become very, very corrupt. Ruling with an iron hand and ruling with the remembrance that here in America we do celebrate our freedom. It is one thing to be a true leader (where people like to follow you thoughts and ideas and policies – such as with President Trump); it is quite another to “rule with an iron hand which sounds like dictator or “my authority and my authority only, and my policies, and my policies only – etc etc etc.
Really I just can’t believe it really! Gee I’m gonna have to really start paying attention. A lil sarcasm ppl
Another Dem hits the dust!!!
He has NEVER served anyone but himself AND the unions to whom he is attached at the hip. He is a pathological liar and a criminal…good riddance, Madigan…you will NOT be missed…..
Looks like the DEMORATS are starting to abandon their sinking ship! Maybe all the way to the White House ? We can only hope! A couple torpedo’s might help!
Not even close to Pelosi or Schumer! It’s a start and maybe more will fall with investigations!
Great The state might have a chance now. Wonder how long it takes him and the money to get out of the country
Just another John Daily prototype. Only divine heavenly intervention can save Chi town. Best thing to do is line up the D9’s and push it into Lake Michigan.
Can’t wait for the day when they get a huge percentage of corrupt politicians and lobbyists out and on the run. I better wake up from my dream because that’ll never happen…….