(WSIL) -- The former Speaker of the House in Illinois has been indicted for bribery and racketeering. Now, the Democratic Party of Illinois is giving their take on the charges.聽
Charging documents unsealed Wednesday accuse the 79-year-old Chicago Democrat of 22 counts of leading a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance the political power and financial well-being of Madigan and his allies.
搁别濒补迟别诲:听Illinois lawmakers react to former Speaker Madigan's indictment
Democratic Party Chari Rep. Robin Kelly released the following statement on his indictment.
鈥淔or the past year, I have been honored to lead our party as the first person of color and the first woman to chair the Democratic Party of Illinois. The DPI is committed to building a party that is more transparent, more diverse, and more inclusive in everything we do. Today鈥檚 announcement is a stark reminder that elected leaders must hold themselves to the highest ethical standards. We will observe the legal process as it unfolds, but there can be no tolerance of anyone guilty of violating the public trust. While he stepped down as party chair more than a year ago, Michael J. Madigan remains a State Central Committeeman from the 3rd Congressional District. He should resign from that position as well.
鈥淪ince I became chair a year ago, our focus has been on electing Democrats up and down the ticket across Illinois and continuing to fight for the things all Democrats believe in, including raising wages, lowering costs, defending reproductive choice, protecting the environment, investing in our infrastructure, providing high quality education for all, and more. We will not let actions of the past distract us from our mission in 2022 and beyond.鈥�
