SPRINGFIELD, Ill. � A growing chorus of Illinois leaders are calling for longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan to step down as chairman of the state’s Democratic Party. However, the 78-year-old Chicago native says he’s staying put.
Authorities implicated Madigan in a federal bribery case against the state’s largest utility, Commonwealth Edison, earlier this summer. Federal prosecutors haven’t charged the Speaker, and Madigan consistently denies any wrongdoing or participation in the scheme. A special House investigative committee has met twice in Springfield to analyze the history of backdoor deals between some of Madigan’s closest associates and former ComEd executives and lobbyists.
Illinois House Republicans held on to several seats Democrats expected to win Tuesday’s election. Gov. JB Pritzker’s graduated income tax proposal also failed to receive enough support from voters. State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Kilbride failed to hit the margin for retaining his seat as well. Critics have tied each of those losses to Madigan.
“Price that we paid�
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin spoke with about the issue Wednesday night. He feels the party took a heavy hit with Madigan still at the helm.
“Candidates who had little or no connection with him whatsoever were being tarred as Madigan allies who are behind corruption and so forth and so on,� Durbin told WTTW’s Paris Schutz. “It was really disconcerting to see the price that we paid on that. I hope he takes that to heart and understands that his presence as chairman of our party has not helped.�
However, Durbin didn’t specifically call for Madigan to step down as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. He suggested everyone watch to see what happens soon. Reporters then asked Pritzker about Durbin’s comments during his COVID-19 briefing Thursday.
“I agree with Sen. Durbin that opponents were able to tap into voters� concerns about corruption and their lack of trust government,� Pritzker explained. “There are real challenges there.�
A renewed call for ethics reform
The governor reiterated calls for ethics reforms in the statehouse. Still, many of those reforms remain on hold during the months-long legislative investigation into Madigan.
“The Republicans and billionaires who sided with them were effectively able to use the Speaker as their foil. And that hurt our ability, and our state’s ability, to get things done.�
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth also shared her thoughts on Madigan’s impact with Springfield’s . Duckworth told political columnist Bernie Schoenburg the ComEd investigation created an “unnecessary distraction� and a hard challenge for Democrats to overcome. She stressed both the state’s Democratic Party and House Democratic caucus should strongly consider new leadership.
Not giving up yet
Still, Madigan plans to keep control of the party.
“I am proud of my record electing Democrats who support workers and families and represent the diversity of our state,� Madigan stated Thursday afternoon. “Together, we have successfully advanced progressive policies that have made Illinois a strong Democratic state with supermajorities in the legislature. Illinois is the anchor in the ‘blue wall� that has been reconstructed in the Midwest, and I look forward to continuing our fight for working families as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.�
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin also feels this election was a referendum against Madigan. He found it suspicious
“This is just another attempt by the Democrats to hide and double down on protecting Speaker Madigan,� Durkin added.
Committee Chair Emanuel “Chris� Welch announced Wednesday that the committee is waiting for critical documents from ComEd. He also noted Fidel Marquez, a former ComEd executive who pleaded guilty in the bribery case, declined to testify before the committee.
