Michael J. Madigan’s long-running reign as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives ended with his ouster as Speaker in January 2021 amid a federal bribery investigation. He resigned his legislative seat one month later. Madigan had served in the legislature for more than 50 years, 36 of those years as Speaker of the House. For much of that time he simultaneously led the Illinois Democratic Party, tightening his stranglehold not just on legislators, but on all Democratic elected officials in Illinois.
In March 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Madigan on racketeering and bribery charges. The 22-count indictment accused Madigan of leading a criminal enterprise to enhance his political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his political allies and associates.
Madigan was alleged to have received $120,000 from ComEd in the form of no-work contracts for his allies in exchange for his support on an energy bill that benefitted the energy giant. He was also accused of accepting bribes from AT&T Illinois, which allegedly funneled $22,500 in funds to a former State Representative with the understanding that Madigan would support legislation ending AT&T’s obligation to provide landline service to all Illinoisans. The former House Speaker has spent millions of dollars from his campaign fund to cover his legal fees using a loophole that House Republicans have worked tirelessly to patch.
Madigan’s trial began in October 2024. Closing arguments wrapped up on January 28 and the jury began deliberations one day later. The jury deliberated for 64 hours over the course of two weeks before returning a partial verdict, finding Madigan guilty on multiple corruption charges.
Even though Madigan was found guilty, the culture of corruption in this state remains very much evident.
Emanuel "Chris" Welch, the current Speaker of the House is Madigan’s hand-picked successor, and let’s not forget the lengths he went to stall and hinder a bipartisan committee that was investigating Madigan’s corruption. Speaker Welch chaired that committee, and shut it down, calling it a “sham show trial.”
Despite the Democrats’ attempts to sweep Madigan’s web of corruption under the rug, justice has caught up with them. The majority party was complicit in the way that Madigan ruled Illinois politics, and many House Democrats remain silent and refuse to stand up for meaningful ethics reforms.
Madigan joins a growing list, including many cronies that enabled Madigan’s corrupt activities, of Illinois government officials who have used corruption tactics to assert power and serve themselves.
This verdict should send a message to the leaders in our state that something has to change, and the pattern of corruption Illinois is plagued with can no longer be tolerated.
It’s time to finally take action and address Illinois stench of corruption. House Republicans have put forward legislation that would enact real ethics reform. Reforms like:
Madigan joins a growing list, including many cronies that enabled Madigan’s corrupt activities, of Illinois government officials who have used corruption tactics to assert power and serve themselves.
This verdict should send a message to the leaders in our state that something has to change, and the pattern of corruption Illinois is plagued with can no longer be tolerated.
It’s time to finally take action and address Illinois stench of corruption. House Republicans have put forward legislation that would enact real ethics reform. Reforms like:
- Suspending pensions from retired lawmakers that face corruption charges stemming from their work as legislators
- Requiring elected officials to recuse themselves from voting on legislation when they or a family member would directly benefit from any legislation
- Restricting legislators from lobbying for local governments
- Putting ‘teeth’ into the Legislative Inspector General’s office to subpoena people and conduct investigations without first getting approval from the people they may be investigating
- Stopping the ‘revolving door’ practice of one day being a Member of the General Assembly and the next day becoming a lobbyist
- Not allowing public officials to use campaign funds for their legal defense
- Prohibiting legislators and Constitutional officers from lobbying at the local level
- Giving Inspector General subpoena power without legislative approval