* I went over this with subscribers earlier today, but here’s WTAX…
Illinois House Democrats will start voting on Sunday, as House Speaker Mike Madigan is in danger of missing out on a nineteenth term.
He has been speaker – except for 1995-96 – since 1983. But people close to him were caught up in the #MeToo scandal, and, more recently, Commonwealth Edison has admitted to a nearly decade-long attempt to bribe him to get its way in the legislature. The massive bribery case has implicated Madigan, though he is not indicted.
Three Democrats want to succeed him as speaker: Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego, Ann Williams of Chicago, and Kathleen Willis of Addison. It will take sixty votes of the 73-member caucus to win, and 19 of them have publicly said they are not going to vote for Madigan.
Black and Latino lawmakers are sticking with him.
* Sun-Times…
The Sunday vote will likely be a voice vote.
That’s likely because Madigan opposes using secret ballots, which would allow representatives to vote anonymously, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Just one vote should help us figure out where people are at,” the representative said. […]
Assuming none of the 19 changes position, Madigan will be at least six votes shy of the 60 he needs to continue in the leadership role he’s held for nearly four decades.
* Subscribers have been following these developments as well…
* Perspective…
- Anon - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 8:48 am:
I’m guessing Madigan’s angst is as high as his belt buckle right now
- "Old Timer Dem" - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 9:18 am:
“Angst” is putting it mildly.
- hot chocolate - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 10:34 am:
Are the new Democratic members of the House, those that will be sworn into the 102nd GA, being brought into the BOS center to vote for Speaker? If so, why and how is that allowed? If not, why not?
- truthtopower - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
A voicevote is almost as annonymous as a secret ballot, as there is no record of how each member voted. It may show which of the challengers has the most support. Obvously, newly elected members should vote and outgoing ones should not
- Rich Miller - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 12:59 pm:
===as there is no record of how each member voted===
Huh?
There will be a roll call.
- truthtopower - Sunday, Jan 10, 21 @ 2:44 pm:
Stand corrected. Was thinking of the voice vote, where presiding officer says: all in favor of candidate Smith, say Aye, etc.