Question of the day
Monday, Aug 10, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This Tribune editorial omits some important historical context to make its point. Lee Daniels’ Republicans had the map for ten years, but Daniels only controlled the chamber for two, which eventually caused his top contributors to soften their support. His longtime political patron was Gov. George Ryan, who, along with the Medical Society, saved him from a coup attempt after the 1990 electoral debacle. Ryan who was on his way out in 2002 and appeared headed for his own legal troubles. Attorney General Jim Ryan was the new party standard-bearer and he was running for governor on an ethics reform platform. And the then-Speaker of the US House, Dennis Hastert, wanted his own guy in as the state’s House Republican Leader…
In June 2002, then-Illinois Republican Party Chairman Lee Daniels abruptly announced his resignation from that party post as pressure mounted, including from the GOP state attorney general, to remove unwanted “distractions” in an election year. Daniels and his chief of staff had fallen under the radar of federal prosecutors who were investigating whether GOP staff members did campaign work on state time. […]
Not long after, the House Republican caucus voted 33-18 to install a new House leader, Rep. Tom Cross, after Daniels lost support among his colleagues in that role too. Daniels had not been charged and was only peripherally linked to a time sheet scandal, but the whiff of a federal corruption probe pushed his members to force him out of leadership. […]
Shortly after [Daniels’ former chief of staff Michael Tristano’s] indictment in 2005, Daniels announced he would retire from his remaining position as a state representative. Daniels was not implicated in Tristano’s indictment, and he was never charged with wrongdoing. But he left anyway. A top GOP party and policy leader in the state who once held three positions of power was gone, pushed out by his own members and a nudge from the previous GOP attorney general, Jim Ryan, who had forwarded corruption allegations to federal investigators.
Under the lens of compare and contrast, then and now, one takeaway is this state’s breathtaking tolerance for corruption. It has settled into the system of governance and politics as its own permanent institution. Corruption is an expected byproduct of serving in public office, like wind makes waves.
Now it’s happening again with Madigan. He’s at the heart of a wide-ranging bribery probe involving utility giant ComEd. He has been served with subpoenas. At least three of his top aides’ and allies’ homes have been raided, along with other confidants targeted in inquires involving red-light camera bribes, sexual harassment payoffs, property tax clout and nepotism.
* The Question: Your thoughts on what Madigan should do now?
- Brutus from 57th and Pulaski - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 2:55 pm:
Resign.
He won’t immediately.
Denial just ain’t a river in Egypt.
- Frumpy White Guy - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:01 pm:
Work out a deal with the Feds.
- Grandson of Man - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:08 pm:
Hopefully the fainting couch is padded well for the Trib editorial board. Way past tired of the hypocrisy. Where was the Trib’s outrage when the president was impeached and openly invited foreign interference in our elections? What about the criminal negligence in mismanaging the pandemic, literally mocking it and encouraging people to get sick and die?
Madigan has not been indicted. Barring an indictment Madigan should do nothing at the urging of the super-minority party and right wing phony screamers. The only calculus that should matter is with the DPI and election prospects.
- Red Ketcher - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:10 pm:
Now: Hang Tough
Later: Time Will Tell
- DuPage Saint - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:14 pm:
I think the tolerance for perceived corruption during Daniels time had more to do with Daniels personality and real power than with honesty.
As to Madigan I do not understand what he personally wants. If it is just to keep power I guess he should stay. But at his age and with his power what else does he want to do?
- Willie - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
Stay the course. He set the bar high and if he is indicted he has to resign and he will. I believe if he thought he had done anything wrong he would resign and cut a deal to save his family the scrutiny that goes along with these investigations.
- RNUG - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
Assuming there is any chance the Feds have something …
Ethically, resign all positions.
Politically, start a transition of power.
Personally, hang on and use his resignation(s) as a bargaining chip.
I realize that is 3 different answers, but it is also from 3 different perspectives / aspects.
- Wensicia - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:30 pm:
I think he should retire, effective immediately.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:31 pm:
Here’s what I think he should do and predict he will do: retire after the election.
- Independent - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:38 pm:
I understand and agree with those calling for Madigan to resign. But I also understand his standing firm. Why voluntarily give up your sources of power and leverage when you have the federal government bearing down on you?
- lake county democrat - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:57 pm:
Repent, and sin no more.
- Peace Love and Guitars - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 3:59 pm:
Say he will not seek re-election as Speaker and Chairman of the Democratic Party.
- SSL - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:05 pm:
He should resign. Just imagine what happens if he does.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:05 pm:
Nothing has changed. I am still here;
===- Oswego Willy - Friday, Jul 17, 20 @ 1:29 pm
Do I *think* he should resign?
Yes.
Do I think the smartest and savviest and “best” thing is force resignation upon indictment?
Yes
If Madigan holds out until indictment, it will help Dems hammer the “Arroyo Rule” to fully rebuke, with a precedent, and speak in one voice, and help in the fall.
Do I think he should resign? Yes.
Really can’t measure the thinking to wait it out, except for the legal side. The indictment seals his fate===
I do believe - Norseman - is on the reality;
===… predict he will do: retire after the election.===
That part? Yep.
- flea - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:12 pm:
Stay the course. Innocent until proven guilty.
- 4 percent - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:28 pm:
He stays… needs the power and campaign money (legal bills). No reason to give up a bargaining chip (resignation) that can be used with the feds if it comes to that.
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:30 pm:
Make like a tree and get out of here.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:38 pm:
===Here’s what I think he should do and predict he will do: retire after the election.===
I think I agree with this. Or, maybe, after the map is done? After he’s gone, Dems could continue to blame him for a gerrymandered map even as they reap the benefit
- Collinsville Kevin - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:39 pm:
He should retire to Florida.
- downstate hack - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:43 pm:
Resign now and try to avoid prosecution.
- Nitemayor - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 4:47 pm:
Put “Big Jim” Thompson on retainer.
- Been There - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 5:20 pm:
====… predict he will do: retire after the election.===
He will know right after the election if he has enough to be re-elected speaker. If has a few more than the 60 needed I think he stays. At least until the re-map. As already noted the rest of the crew can blame him for the next 10 years.
This also assumes there is no new problems with the feds as also noted.
Also, when is his term as chair of the state party up? If they do it at their virtual meeting this August and he has a problem there then the tea leaves change.
- Back to the Future - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 5:23 pm:
Really no good answer.
I suppose that keeping the party post to pay legal bills and supporting the candidates that are in election trouble is one choice.
On the Speaker position he could call for a confidence vote. He is probably going to live to be over 100 and he may as well find out who his friends are. No need to keep in touch with the other folks.
- Give Us Barabbas - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 6:16 pm:
Tristano…. (/kenobi mode) “Now there’s a name I have not heard in a long time…” (/kenobi mode).
One Springfield nickname for that guy was “The Prince of Darkness”. There were parties in town when he got indicted and sent up. As Director he ran CMS like it was Latveria, and represented everything bad about the patronage system’s excesses.
If we weren’t ever sure before, we are now, that the rot covers both sides of the aisle.
- Anyone Remember - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 7:23 pm:
“… and represented everything bad about the patronage system’s excesses.”
Remember when Tristano, with a straight face, insisted CMS Revolving Funds weren’t tax dollars and should be exempt from the budgeting process. Privately Mandeville and publicly Howie Carroll found that quite amusing.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 7:46 pm:
An aside, and thank you Rich for the institutional knowledge that is necessary to frame that time of GOP strife, and the downfall of what looked like in 1994… the GOP dominance and understanding of how to win in the micro (Senate districts drawn) and the macro (all six statewide offices)
=== Lee Daniels’ Republicans had the map for ten years, but Daniels only controlled the chamber for two, which eventually caused his top contributors to soften their support. His longtime political patron was Gov. George Ryan, who, along with the Medical Society, saved him from a coup attempt after the 1990 electoral debacle. Ryan who was on his way out in 2002 and appeared headed for his own legal troubles===
This backstory, and the story of the demise of the LAD years and the emergence of Tom Cross as Leader truly is the arching story of the fall of the ILGOP and it’s own (ILGOP) shrinking until the Rauners (Bruce and Diana) bought it cheap.
The Dems, it will be up to them to write their own story after Madigan leaves the stage.
I’ll bet it won’t be a shrinking party, but I’ll also bet it will be important to find a leader willing to cobble together these factions existing to one walk together, or they will be a party where everything they do… will be a battle to find 60 and 30.
Madigan leaving… could be a rebirth.
How that new party sees that rebirth will be one heck of a story.
- Derek Smalls - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 7:57 pm:
Publicly call on McClain to fully cooperate with the feds. Doesn’t require him to resign anything nor is it any type of admission of guilt on his part. He says he has done nothing wrong so no worry of blowback from anything McClain would say.
- HighSox - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 8:16 pm:
MJM should introduce term limit legislation, then resign so no one ever serves as Speaker in IL as long as he has.
- Maybe baby - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 8:21 pm:
Resignation comes only as a bargaining chip with the feds to avoid jail in an agreement that is airtight. Protects his wife and Lisa too. He threw Lou Lange under the bus; he’ll throw McClain there too.
If he lacks power, no-one has an incentive anymore to keep their mouths shut.
So that leaves what is the calculus for how that plays in the Chicago suburbs? Costa Howard, Pappas, Edly Allen, etc. Does he drop below 60 plus a few without them?
He can use how the GOP machine fell apart once they stopped the patronage system as a lesson to anyone looking to fall out of line. If you are a run-of-the-mill Dem, how can you ask Madigan to resign? He brings a gun to a pillow fight.
Or we can hope my girl Kelly stages her coup with the women.
- Cadillac - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 8:35 pm:
What should he do? Resign.
What will he do? Use the massive legal defense funds he has amassed to try to slow play the bad weather.
- Been There - Monday, Aug 10, 20 @ 11:06 pm:
===Or we can hope my girl Kelly stages her coup with the women.===
I don’t think Kelly Cassidy can round up the votes. If you meant Kelly Burke, maybe. But I don’t expect her to stage a coup.
- Frank talks - Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 12:51 am:
Comparing Madigan to Daniels is a bad comparison.
Daniels team was convicted of using state employees for political work while paid for by the state. Was known and proven.
Madigan is implicated in being the all knowing OZ. Maybe it’s there but no one knows. For now…..
Also Cassidy- no family of legislator or recent former legislator is allowed to benefit from weed legislation, right? That was written into the law. But her spouse has a top job, “out of state”, that one of the major benefactors of the Illinois weed legislation gave to her and that’s ok? As long as she’s not an “Illinois” employee with the company it’s all good. BTW how much time is the spouse actually spending in Florida doing the job?
Quit playing games everyone, just wait and see what happens then move forward.
- low level - Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 7:51 am:
Just an outstanding response Rich and others have commented about GOP patronage back in the day. This issue will continue to come up for Dem candidates and is the reason why I think Madigan should leave but the Trib and other Repubs clutching pearls over patronage is something.
- MaryLouise - Tuesday, Aug 11, 20 @ 9:23 am:
Hang tough and discuss with family. Some calling him to resign should also resign.
What is going on with the purse theft? Is that being covered up by law enforcement? Don’t accuse someone of something if you have something to hide, too.