Speaker Madigan fights back
Thursday, Nov 17, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* House Speaker Michael Madigan was in Rockford yesterday and answered questions about a recent Crain’s story alleging that his actions caused McPier to lose out on as much as a half billion dollars in savings by refusing to approve debt refinancing…
Madigan said he refused to deal with [McPier Executive Director Juan Ochoa] because he would not have any part in aiding corruption in the Blagojevich administration. Blagojevich was impeached by the House and convicted in the Senate Jan. 30, 2009. The ex-governor has since been convicted twice on federal corruption charges and awaits sentencing by Judge James Zagel.
“I say that story was peddled to Crain’s by Juan Ochoa, a direct appointment and direct agent of a twice-convicted felon, Rod Blagojevich,” Madigan said in the interview, which took place after a ceremony in Rockford marking the 10th anniversary of the E.J. “Zeke” Giorgi Legal Clinic. Giorgi, a 29 year state representative from Rockford who died in 1993, was a mentor to Madigan after the Chicagoan was elected to the House in 1970. The two became close friends.
Ochoa, Madigan said, “was part and parcel of the Blagojevich operation, he took orders from the governor’s office, and I was not about to approve issuance of that debt, whether it was the selection of bond counsel, the bond underwriters, which all would have been part and parcel of the Blagojevich fundraising operation, which is the reason Blagojevich is a twice-convicted felon.”
Madigan handed Register Star Senior Editor Chuck Sweeny a copy of a 2007 document, which he described as ” a proposed memorandum of understanding between Ochoa and John Filan, who was Blagojevich’s budget director.
“Ochoa will say he never signed it. Let’s assume that was correct, and he didn’t sign it. But this speaks to the intent of the Blagojevich administration relative to McCormick Place and what they would have done had they been able to issue that debt,” Madigan said.
Discuss.
- Sinister - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 6:01 am:
Oh, Madigan! Playing the good guy here. How much longer will he use Blago as a scapegoat. Throwing stones in a glass house is not a good idea.
- pingu - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 6:24 am:
I wonder if Lisa Madigan’s relative invisibility while the Blagojevich crime family was raiding the company store won’t still come back to haunt her as she aspires for higher office (assuming she runs against someone of slightly higher caliber than Stu Umholtz or Stephen Kim). Whether entirely fair or not, one could portray her father as having done all the heavy lifting while she spent her energies on easier issues.
- The Fox - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 7:27 am:
Regardless of the motives or suspicions on both sides, Madigan cost Illinois taxpayers nearly a half billion dollars and it doesn’t reflect well on the office of the Illinois attorney general.
- Dave - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 8:12 am:
**Lisa Madigan’s relative invisibility while the Blagojevich crime family was raiding the company store **
Didn’t the Feds tell Lisa she had to back off?
- Easy - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 8:25 am:
You know what else was a big part of blago’s fundraising machine? His re-election campaign that madigan chaired.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 8:36 am:
First, let me say that i’m glad to see Madigan talking directly to the press, and wish he would do more of it.
Secondly, its facinating to hear same people who complain that state government shouldnt be allowed to borrow more money or increase revenues until it reforms its ways criticize Madigan for refusing to extend a line of credit to Rod Blagojevich.
Third, does anyone really doubt that if Blago had been given the refinancing authority, he would have used it as leverage to shake down the bond houses and lawyers for illegal campaign contributions? The guy shook down a children’s hospital, for pete’s sake.
Its like criticizing a bartender for refusing to sell whiskey to a drunk man because the bar lost money. Absurd attack.
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 8:55 am:
Madigan, when he talks at all, blames Rod more than Barack blames G W Bush. He’s always doing what’s best for Illinois with no other considerations. Everybody else has ulterior motives.
- Fed up - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 8:56 am:
Didnt the Feds tell Lisa to back off. Yeah just like every scandal that she has no interest in investigating since then. Time for a Lisa photo op at a senior home. I bet the Feds told her that her office has to be complicitin workers comp abuse.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:06 am:
@Bill - You don’t serve whiskey to an alcoholic and you dont give a meglomaniac more power.
- Sue - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:13 am:
Too bad the Speaker didn’t also step in before $hellander was allowed to cash in on a Blago bond deal
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:13 am:
The feds did big foot the AG alleging massive hiring fraud and then failing to prosecute
THe Blagoofians get blame as long as the legacy continues and since PQ has some notable Blagoofians in place this is a message one will have to hear.
Had NoTaxBill won (tee hee) that might have changed. He didn’t. Sinister, Fox et. al can just look in a mirror for more answers
All hands might want to remember the taxes used to service the debt are largely levied on tourists and other visitors. And again the Blagoofians can only ask themselves why
Fire,Aim, Ready
- amalia - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:18 am:
pobre Madigan. he suffers so greatly. gak.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:22 am:
I think Madigan deserves half-credit for this answer. It does make sense not to fuel Blago’s corruption machine, but if Madigan had direct knowledge of corruption that early on why did he not trumpet it loudly and publicly? Could it be that he was putting his political considerations before the needs of the State? Nahh…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:27 am:
I wouldn’t work with Ochoa or Blago, either.
I think a bill to require competitive bidding for all work related to those bonds would have been in order. Probably never would have been signed by Blago, but it would overturned a rock.
But there’s nothing preventing such a bill now. The great majority of muni bonds are no-brainer boilerplate. It’s rare that there should ever be a “negotiated” deal, where officeholders pick the firms for their “expertise.”
That’s just pinstripe patronage of the most lucrative kind.
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:31 am:
From WLS-AM (aka Air Blagoof)
“Illinois Republican Chairman Pat “Gags” Brady tells WLS Radio that Illinois voters should be outraged about a recent Crain’s Chicago Business article that reveals House Speaker Michael Madigan…..”
Gotta love it when the GOPers go to bat for Blagoofers. Did’t NoTaxBill and Gags allow Juan to throw a funder for them?
No wonder they can’t find the keys to the car
Fire.Aim.Ready.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:37 am:
@Anonymous - I still remember the first time I met Rod - at the Pride parade in 2005. Alarm bells went off in my
Head immediately.
I never had any direct knowledge of corruption within his administration either, but that nagging intuition never went away. I think that was probably true of alot of people.
I dont know Madigan personally and cant pretend to know his thinking, but I would bet that if you asked him about his regrets, remaining neutral in the 2002 gubernatorial primary would be pretty high on his list.
Madigan was undoubtedly under alot of pressure from alot of groups to back Rod, who — ironically –
was seen as Democrats best chance to win back the
Mansion. The fact that he didnt capitulate to those pressures indicates to me that he had some serious reservations about Blagojevich.
Or, i could just be projecting my own feelings. I sure wish I had done more, sooner, to help Paul Vallas.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:42 am:
–I had done more, sooner, to help Paul Vallas.–
He could have done a lot more to help himself. Like get in an airplane every once in a while and do Downstate flyarounds.
You can’t run statewide in Illinois if you won’t fly. Big state.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:54 am:
Point well-taken wordslinger, although I’m not sure that alone would have flipped 25000 votes.
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 9:59 am:
Paul Vallas is a loser, Always has been. always will be.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 10:05 am:
I guess that depends on how you measure success, Bill.
Where are “federal conviction” and
“national embarrassment” on your yardstick of success?
- He's not the Almighty - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 10:31 am:
I love the way some people think Madigan should have allowed a deal like this to go through, and others think he should have taken matters into his own hands, pushed federal investigators aside, and arrested and convicted Blago himself.
Once Madigan got wind of Blago’s modus operandi, he did this state a favor by blocking Blago’s every move. Take “politics” out of it and Madigan would be hailed as a hero for being the Brian Urlacher of Illinois.
- taxpayer $$$ - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 10:49 am:
keep in mind the “taxpayers” that are being referred to in the Crain’s article are mostly out of staters (car rentals, hotel tax, taxi rides). Not the usual set of”taxpayers we see legislators pandering to.
- walkinfool - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:02 am:
Madigan was at least clear in his statement. It reflects the understanding on this blog of the other day. Good motivation, bad tactic in hindsight.
I am tired of hearing this nonsense about Madigan being “chair of Blago’s campaign”. It just expresses ignorance, real or feigned.
Madigan did little to actively support Blago, avoided getting in the same room or on the same stage with him, was clear to those around him that he disliked and distrusted the man; but he reluctantly allowed his name to be listed as a nominal chair since he was chair of the state party. This is often done in many races by leaders in both parties. Not pretty, but of little real consequence.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:07 am:
Bill likes his politicians like he likes his cologne. Cheap and easy to reach on the shelf. But like many, he doesn’t know when too much is just another stink that makes everyone around gag.
Rod Blagojevich. The Aqua Velva of politics. And my apologies to Aqua Velva
- Carl Nyberg - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:09 am:
It’s kinda important that people *trust* each other. If people don’t trust each other, deals that should be made don’t get made.
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:11 am:
Michelle,
Rod was many things. He was not cheap.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:14 am:
@Bill - True Dat!
- L.S. - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:56 am:
Crain’s seems to be more interested in the hatchet than the story. I think Madigan’s explanation of the not wanting to assist in the crime spree makes sense and at least deserved some equal time. Instead Crain’s takes Ochoa’s line at face value and never bothers to second guess the motivation.
Look, the wars with Blagojevich cost the state a lot of money, there is no doubt about that. But is there anyone who can say that it wasn’t neccessary for someone to say No to the guy? Madigan was the only one with enough power to stop any part of his endless schemes. The guy going to jail is the one to blame here, the rest is just Madigan haters jumping on board.
- Ben Gazzara - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 12:24 pm:
I’m just shocked a major news outlet in the state of Illinois even attempted to lock horns with Madigan. The guy’s got the most pristine Hall Pass of all time.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 12:24 pm:
Will Bill be visiting Rod in the clink?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 12:58 pm:
Note that Madigan was in Rockford to honor the memory of a friend who died 18 years ago.
I’ve had the occasional disagreements with him on policy and occasionally questioned his political strategy, but his character is unquestionable.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 1:04 pm:
“his character is unquestionable”
Atleast by me. Anyone else think they are qualified to throw stones, have at it.
- MOON - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 1:13 pm:
YELLOW DOG
Your analysis of Madigan’s is “Spot On”. I do not always agree with his position on issues but his integrity is unquestionable.
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 1:42 pm:
Yeah, I might stop by if it is not too much of a hassle.
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 1:49 pm:
==but his integrity is unquestionable.==
Now how do you know that MOON? Because he’s never been caught? You think he would make the money he does if he wasn’t “Mike Madigan”? You think he doesn’t use his leverage for some kind of personal agenda? You think it is a coincidence that his whole family and all of his friends have had public employment? You think he got elected for 40 years because he’s the best man for the job?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 1:52 pm:
Sorry, Bill, but your years-long zealous defense of Rod the Convicted kinda undermine any attacks on MJM’s integrity.
Just sayin…
- Its Just Me - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 2:17 pm:
Why did Madigan block a refinance attempt after Blago an Ochoa were gone?
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 3:25 pm:
Hey, no problem. I’m not attacking his integrity. I’m just asking a few questions that no one ever seems to ask, let alone answer. This idea that someone is completely beyond reproach is a little unrealistic here in our great state, especially one who has been around so long.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 3:32 pm:
Bill, you might hold more sway if you would take this kind of approach:
“Look, I support a corrupt, in-ept crook. So I speak with some authority when i say that a lot of what I see here with this Ochoa deal looks like the kind of political shakedown my guy would do.”
Don’t hide your Blago stink, revel in it. Rod would have wanted it that way.
- MOON - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 3:34 pm:
BILL
How much credibility do you have when you continue to defend Blago?
I have known Madigan for more than 40 years. I have had personal and business dealings with him. In all my dealings with him he always stressed that there is a line he will never cross.
I know for a fact that he has been investigated several times and in all instances nothing has ever been discovered that he did something illegal.
Any leverage that you think he uses is within the bounds of legality.
I am not aware of all his family members having public employment. In fact I am not aware of any of his family members that are employed by the public other than his daughter who was elected.
I know many of his friends that are not employed by public entities.
I definitely think he has gotten elected and re-elected for the past 40 or so years because he is the best man for the job.
You can disagree with his position on public matters and his politics. You cannot point to one instance where he substituted his integrity for personal gain.
- Just Me - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 3:40 pm:
Madigan doesn’t like it when HIS people are punished, but apparently he doesn’t mind when other people’s people are punished. Just sayin…live by the sword die by the sword.
- walkinfool - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 4:39 pm:
I got involved in Springfield coming out of the business world, and assumed the worst based upon what I had heard about Mike Madigan. After watching and listening closely for years, I came away believing him to be one of the best operating managers I’d ever seen, and that he passes any character or ethical smell test. If he’d been in private industry, he could have made multiples of what he has made.
There are many things we don’t agree on, but he is an admirable individual.
- Bill - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 5:00 pm:
Actually Michelle that is exactly the approach I’m taking.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 6:36 pm:
You just left out the first half.
Yes, I know it’s implied, but it’d still be kinda nice to hear/read you say it.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 17, 11 @ 11:06 pm:
It is pretty bad when the Great Speaker Madigan doesn’t feel able to step out in public and blow a whistle against a criminal like Blagojevich.
He had to do this?
The hell he had to!
What chance does any of us had if we all thought similarly? Who would be uncovering the crooks in government if the Speaker doesn’t feel that he could?
If the Speaker didn’t believe Ochoa could be trusted, then damn it, he should have come right out in public and have said so. If the Speaker knew the Ex-governor was not to be trusted, he should have come right out in public and have said so.
Instead, the Speaker signed on as Rod Blagojevich’s Co-Chair!
Speaker Madigan is in no position to defend himself by playing victim. If he is a victim, the heaven help the rest of us!
- Springfield Survivor - Friday, Nov 18, 11 @ 1:55 am:
Long live the late great Zeke Giorgi. He is certainly missed. Its nice that the Speaker continues to honor him. He deserves that and more. Zeke was the greatest thing that ever happened to Rockford and the town has not been the same without him.