* Remember this comment by Gov. JB Pritzker yesterday?…
Q: When was the last time you spoke with Mike Madigan?
A: On March 1, I called to let him know that we would be making changes at the Illinois Arts Council.
* I followed up with the governor’s office, but the answer came late in the day, so I set it aside for this morning. CBS 2 apparently noticed the same thing I did and here’s their story…
Gov. JB Pritzker has removed Shirley Madigan from her position as chair of the Illinois Arts Council.
While news of the move broke Thursday — a day after Ms. Madigan’s husband, former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, was indicted — Governor’s office spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said Ms. Madigan was removed from her position before the indictment was announced.
The Governor’s office said Pritzker will appoint a temporary chair while discussions are held to determine who would be the best permanent chair.
Ms. Madigan will remain on the council, because her term runs through 2023, and Pritzker is not allowed to withdraw an appointment in the middle of the term.
Abudayyeh said the reason for Ms. Madigan’s removal was that the governor wanted to take the council in a new direction.
Nobody owns a state board position, and times change. But Shirley Madigan has been a passionate advocate for the arts for generations. I hate to see her go out like this.
*** UPDATE *** Mrs. Madigan’s resignation letter to Gov. and Mrs. Pritzker is dated yesterday. Click here to read it. That graceful statement should’ve been highlighted instead of the governor’s desire to remove her.
- Homebody - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 9:33 am:
Fairly or unfairly, it was going to be an issue that JB was going to be asked about ad nauseum. This is basically the only move he has to distance himself from the Madigans.
- BigLou - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 9:38 am:
He said he was interviewed by the FBI last week. He removed her because he knew something was up.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 9:52 am:
Not surprised Pritzker threw Shirley Madigan under the bus.
That is the way he operates, but still thinking his statement about wanting the Arts Council to go in a “new direction” was callous. Mrs. Madigan apparently did a good job for three years of the Pritzker Administration.
I suspect that other options could have been explored other than the path he took. Wonder if he thanked the Madigan’s for electing him Governor before he pulled the carpet from under the Chair Lady
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:03 am:
Ever hear of the innocent spouse relief? This move makes JB worse than the IRS in terms of projecting the sins of MJM onto his wife.
- The Hills 60010 - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:09 am:
“Nobody owns a state board position, and times change. But Shirley Madigan has been a passionate advocate for the arts for generations. I hate to see her go out like this.”
Was the Misses implicated in the schemes of her husband? Had she been an asset in the lead position? When would her lead term been up? Is next year 2023 really a bridge too far?
I “think” I like this governor, but this”…, removal was that the governor wanted to take the (fill in the blank)in a new direction.” is being offered up as an excuse in Illinois politicking to do/allow things, even things you think would be above the interest of THE chief executive with sights on the White House, are starting to feel like Madiganisms.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:09 am:
===I suspect that other options could have been explored other than the path he took.===
Examples?
- Arsenal - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:09 am:
==Not surprised Pritzker threw Shirley Madigan under the bus.==
I think it was someone else who threw her- and the rest of the family- under the bus.
Where, of course, “under the bus” is defined as “millionaires”.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:11 am:
===Examples? ===
Give her the opportunity to resign.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:15 am:
===Give her the opportunity to resign.===
To that, I agree.
===On March 1, I called to let him know that we would be making changes at the Illinois Arts Council.===
This statement, now, with that option of resigning in the discussion, I do wonder if the governor said that in hopes Mrs. Madigan would resign, but didn’t?
I’ve never heard an ill word about Mrs. Madigan. Ever.
No matter the side one fell, Mrs. Madigan was one that had praise from all sides.
- Back to the Future - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:16 am:
I was also thinking about offering her the opportunity to resign.
- Baloneymous - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:17 am:
I look at this move like ripping off the Madigan band-aid whether this move was callous or not. But as Rich says, he could have let her resign.
- Fav Human - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:19 am:
Seems unnecessarily cruel, to me. She’s under max stress as it is, lets add some humiliation on top.
I don’t blame her for her husband’s crimes.
However, she should have resigned long ago, too. I’m surprised no one suggested that to her.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:22 am:
=== I’m surprised no one suggested that to her.===
I have no insider knowledge but agree they should’ve given her a chance to resign. But who knows, maybe they did…
- Country Road - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:22 am:
So will Chief Justice Burke resign if/when her husband is convicted ?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:24 am:
===Chief Justice Burke===
Voters elected Justice Burke.
Mrs. Madigan was appointed
- Medvale School for the Gifted - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:32 am:
Did the guv call Madigan to deliver the message to Shirley? Or did the guv call Shirley, too?
- Pizza Man - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:33 am:
Though I highly doubt the governor could care less about the arts’ mission, this year’s program, releases, etc. (just sayin’), after meeting with the Federales he knew some bad things were coming down the pipeline against MJM–based on their questioning.
Therefore, he decided to have a clean slate.
Mrs. Madigan is one of the sweetest people. I once accidentally bumped into her in the Thompson Ctr’s elevator and she gladly gave me a hug surprisingly.
- Galway Bay - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:39 am:
No one convicted of anything yet
- My 2 cents - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:49 am:
Flipping the concept of spousal privilege, just as you cannot be forced to testify against your spouse, you cannot avoid consequences for their actions.
- In reality - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:51 am:
Would she have been appointed to that board if she wasn’t Mike Madigan’s wife? It’s just how things work.
- Suburbanon - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:52 am:
Shirley is a class act and deserved better. This was a cold hearted move to gain some short-term political cover.
- Opening Date - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:56 am:
Ask anyone in the arts community in Chicago what they think. And you will hear the Arts Council is a mess.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:58 am:
Will this kind of fallout apply to Lisa too?
What if she wants to run for U.S. Senate or governor? Is she now disqualified because of this indictment of her father?
That would be a shame too.
- ElTacoBandito - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:58 am:
She was there because of her husband’s position. Let’s not act like she would be there for any other reason.
From yesterday’s post,
==The reform measure, a signature issue for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, fell short by just a few votes late last month thanks to staunch opposition from Exelon.
In or around April 2018, MADIGAN gave McClain permission to work to kill HB 5626 on behalf of ComEd, and ComEd thereafter worked to defeat HB 5626.==
The man screwed over his own daughter, of course his wife was gonna get caught up with actions like that.
- Soapbox Derby - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 10:59 am:
How many times as Speaker did Madigan pass a bill allowing the Governor to “reconstitute” Boards and Commissions, effectively removing current office holders?
Answer: Several.
It’s only fitting that his wife suffer a similar fate now.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:01 am:
Unpopular opinion;
She had to be aware of what her husband was doing over the years, and sat back and did nothing about it. Perhaps this observation will be incorrect as more details come out and she will be listed as a witness, but I think the odds of that are so minuscule small as to not be possible.
Honestly, I don’t see any difference here than knowing about abuse and never reporting it.
Turning a blind eye, no matter how elevated the rest of your life is to yourself and others, is still turning a blind eye.
It’s unfortunate, but she also has made the choice herself.
Do her inactions rise to a criminal level, I highly doubt it and I’m not remotely suggesting she deserves any criminal treatment. But they do rise to a level where her position in a politically appointed roll should be affected.
Consequences should exist for the choices you make in life, and I think we’ve forgotten that.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:06 am:
Does this type of fallout apply to Lisa too? What if she wants to run for U.S. Senate or governor?
Is she disqualified because of the indictment of her father?
That would be a shame. No snark.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:10 am:
===What if she wants to run…===
She can run. No one can stop her.
The voters will decide if she should serve.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:17 am:
Here’s what really bothers me about this whole thing. It’s no secret that Mrs. Madigan has had lung problems for a while now. She hasn’t been well. She hasn’t been holding meetings.
She deserved better, but I really blame her husband for this. He should’ve retired years ago and moved with her to Palm Springs or someplace like that where the air is better for his wife. They both would’ve been better off and their oldest daughter might’ve been elected governor.
And now she’s gotta face all this horrific upheaval involving her husband, who could very well wind up dying in prison.
I like Shirley Madigan. Everyone likes Shirley Madigan. She deserves better than this.
- ElTacoBandito - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:17 am:
==On March 1, I called to let him know that we would be making changes at the Illinois Arts Council.==
This sounds like a call for her to resign. Her removal wasn’t announced till today and she could have resigned anytime since her husband’s indictment. Just like her husband, it looks like she was clinging on till the end.
==Does this type of fallout apply to Lisa too?==
I did not think Madigan would affect Lisa if he wasn’t indicted, but now that he has, she will be toxic till he is tried and possibly sentenced and jailed. I like Lisa, and Madigan being caught tanking some of her legislation might help, but like her mother, she may go down with him.
- Fav Human - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:21 am:
? Is she now disqualified because of this indictment of her father?
I would say that she is FAR MORE disqualified because of the fact that when she was AG, all the #Metoo stuff was going on at the capitol, and she did NOTHING.
She was in the legislature. She really didn’t know?
For sure, she did NOTHING.
THAT, to me, is disqualifying.
- Nitemayor - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:27 am:
First, a spouse is protected from testifying, unless they are part of the criminal enterprise. Second, my experience with the Arts Council was that Shirley was very passionate about the arts, but it was not exactly a well oiled machine, unlike the other Madigan Enterprise.
- Pundent - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:27 am:
Blaming Mike Madigan for bringing these consequences to his family is the right take. Lots of parallels between Mike and Shirley and George and Lura Lynn Ryan. Regardless of political leanings we should be able to acknowledge the tragedy and consequences brought on these families due to the conduct of these men.
- From DaZoo - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:29 am:
My first thought is perhaps Mrs. M wants to keep active with IAC to simply have something to keep her mind off of the additional stress at home. Initially it’s something of an avoidance technique. Maybe she’ll continue or maybe in a couple months she’ll resign.
My second thought is she has some similar attributes as Mr. M. In the face of scrutiny, Mr. M stubbornly continued on until it became so blatantly clear that it wasn’t possible anymore. It may come to be the same for Mrs. M.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:35 am:
Thank you, Rich. That’s ball game.
What has been so glaring in the pasts years has been folks staying too long, and by doing so ruining their own legacies and their own personal well-being or “golden years”
I’m only going to keep it to this post and Madigan, but if one follows politics and also comes here, you don’t need me to point to the glaring obvious examples of ones staying too long on the stage and ruining their legacies, or worse by not leaving.
To MJM,
I mean, you look at these counts against him, is some of it merely (albeit alleged illegal actions as they are counts in an indictment) keeping an organization (which is now alleged to be a criminal entity?) rolling, patronage going? Isn’t legacy being able to have something “outlive” you?
How much “more” did Madigan need to stick around? MJM coulda been a Speaker of renown, the father of a governor, a legacy of family and continuation. So did MJM stay to enrich himself and others as alleged to deny a multi generational legacy? How many more dollars would’ve fed that need enough?
His partner in life, how many dinners missed, weekends lost, how many missed days were enough to say “I need to be home now, I’ve completed my calling”. The real sacrifices of families, not candidates, not electeds, families, to public service, how much would’ve been enough to let the scale fall to the “family” side…
… let alone being an in catalyst in having a spouse be moved from a passion she loves…
So, MJM is indeed “another”… stays too long, ruined a real opportunity to legacy, crushed opportunities to generational legacy, put into jeopardy a legacy and life after service, and with that a real chance of prison being a last stop in life
Knowing when to walk is as important as the timing to move ahead. Legacies are never guaranteed but can be crushed by a need to merely hang on.
- City Zen - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:42 am:
=Voters elected Justice Burke.==
Not as Chief Justice.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:43 am:
=== Not as Chief Justice.===
Explain that process
- Sangamo Girl - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:45 am:
Alas, not the first time and certainly not the last where someone did good things for the right reasons but stayed too long. Ultimately it’s a job not a sinecure.
https://www.rrstar.com/story/news/2012/02/16/julie-cellini-being-dropped-from/47966424007/
- Amalia - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:51 am:
we can like someone, and we can agree that they should not be punished because of acts of their spouse. we can also agree that an agency with someone in one place for a long time might need a refresh. with the pandemic times affecting the arts community deeply there should be someone with tons of energy who can get stuff done in leadership. looking forward to that.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 11:53 am:
I agree with pretty much everything Rich said.
But I would add that she should have seen this coming. She’s been in the political arena for a long time. And politics ain’t beanbag.
- here we go - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:13 pm:
Agree with Rich - this is a great example of not knowing when to leave. Madigan had many high points in his career, before this legal and political hurricane slammed him. After winning back the House in 1996 - the big comeback - he would have stepped out. After helping to elect Barack Obama to the White House, he could have stepped out. So many chances - but sticking around this additional decade did him in. We’ve seen this before in Illinois (and elsewhere).
- Duncan T Ferguson - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:26 pm:
Is she still the Liaison?
- Galesburger - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:37 pm:
Not an unprecedented move. After 27 years of service, Quinn dropped Julie Cellini from the IHPA board shortly after her husband was convicted. Sometimes spouses pay for the sins of their husbands regardless of how well they served.
- Responsa - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:39 pm:
Removing Shirley has the same bad smell as one of the top conductors in the world, Gergiev, being fired as chief conductor of Munich, a top soprano, Anna Netrebko, being sidelined by the Met and the animated film Anastasia being removed from the Disney channel –all because Russian. I am sure Shirley had as much to do with Madigan’s alleged crimes as the aforementioned have had influence on Putin. None.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:40 pm:
- Responsa -
Are you… a Russia apologist?
Odd way to defend Mrs. Madigan by defending… Russia?
What?
- Pizza Man - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:50 pm:
I honestly thought prior to the beginning of the METoo movement, his resignation of his former CoS Mapes and his own registration as rep./Spkership, that he would one day grace the Capitol (10 years after his passing) due to his long reign as an elected official and speakership.
Lastly, for sure, Lisa Madigan’s political career is now definitely over. No comeback for her to run for guv anytime soon.
Thanks Rich for your nice input comments on Mrs. Madigan.
- Responsa - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:51 pm:
I am an apologist for universal music and the arts–which can and should be unifiers and balm for the world. Politics should not enter in to it.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:54 pm:
===Politics should not enter in to it.===
Russia is right now banned in the Paralympics, you against that too?
Why one would even think to insert “Russia” in this… whew.
Read what Rich commented. It’s not about recognizing “Russia”
I do appreciate you revealing this thought process. Very interesting.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 12:54 pm:
==Abudayyeh said the reason for Ms. Madigan’s removal was that the governor wanted to take the council in a new direction.==
JB should put Harry Styles on the Council. Then it can go in One Direction.
- Perrid - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 1:02 pm:
Someone who had a political appointment because of her husband lost that appointment because of her husband. And so it goes. The people wringing their hands about how mean JB is are just silly. And that’s as generous as I can be, because I suspect you all might not be honest as to your thinking.
- Country Road - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 1:15 pm:
Judge Burke was elected with the support of her Corrupt Alderman Husband with the blessing and support of the Corrupr Madigan Democrat Machine
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 1:18 pm:
===Judge Burke was elected===
You coulda stopped there before hyperventilating and passing out.
The thing about elections, you need to win them to bring change.
- cermak_rd - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:03 pm:
Responsa, the Gergiev thing is a little more complicated than that. He was not fired merely for being Russian. He is an unapologetic Putin supporter. And he was offered the ability to condemn the invasion. Which he did not do. And that is why he was fired.
Contrast that with the Russian pianist who played in CA yesterday.
You can be Russian and participate in the arts. You cannot be a proponent of Russian actions in Ukraine and participlate in the arts in most nations.
It’s nice to say that arts can be pure BUT at some point in time you need to sell tickets and avoid protests at the door. The Arts do not exist in a politics-less vacuum.
- Fav Human - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:04 pm:
the animated film Anastasia being removed
Funny, because the movie is quite anti-Soviet, and it’s well known that Vlad the Invader misses the USSR a lot.
- MisterJayEm - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:08 pm:
“She had to be aware of what her husband was doing over the years, and sat back and did nothing about it.”
Oh course wives always know what their husbands are up to — that’s why there’s no such thing as “mistresses.”
– MrJM
- Sue - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:21 pm:
Classless is the only word to describe Mrs M’s removal
- cermak_rd - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:23 pm:
I actually find it interesting people are talking about Lisa. Lisa seems to have already looked into the void and determined that her political future was not possible and gotten on with her life. I don’t know if she noticed the directions the feds were going and put two and two together or what, but she definitely at least avoided a lot of circus by getting out 4 years ago.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:33 pm:
Gov. Rauner didn’t even go after Mrs. Madigan for heavens sake and neither did Gov. Quinn. Both of them had many more reasons to dislike Madigan than Gov. Pritzker. Seems pretty classless.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:41 pm:
Does anyone know for sure how long Shirley Madigan has been with the Arts Council? Can’t find anything on the internet on this.
- "A Horse is a Horse" - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:44 pm:
Rich Miller’s comment is spot on. Nothing ever good happens when you stay around too long.
- Dotnonymous - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 2:57 pm:
It’s nearly impossible to convince a champion boxer that it’s time to retire…those who stay too long end up, “A fool on a stool”…for any reference.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 3:17 pm:
Sue, why do I suspect you’d have ripped the Governor if he hadn’t asked her to step down?
- Sue - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 3:31 pm:
47th Ward - all I will say is anyone who uses porcelain toilets shouldn’t remove spouses from their volunteer positions😆😆
- ArchPundit - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 4:04 pm:
====animated film Anastasia being removed from the Disney channel
Responsa, I’m not trying to pick on you here, but there is a contract with Starz for them to have the rights to air it for a while so that is why it was removed from Disney.
I think we can agree those who have nothing to do with the war shouldn’t be penalized personal(sanctions are different as there is no way to separate out the effects on oligarchs and the people). In terms of Mrs. Madigan I see that as a tough call either way.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 4:11 pm:
=== *** UPDATE *** Mrs. Madigan’s resignation letter to Gov. and Mrs. Pritzker is dated yesterday. Click here to read it. That graceful statement should’ve been highlighted instead of the governor’s desire to remove her.===
Unforced error, needless too.
- Lincoln Lad - Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 4:26 pm:
There are many, many people that were harmed by the Speaker for resisting him over the years. Many of them were good people and didn’t deserve it. Let’s be honest, if you went crossways with him or one of his lieutenants… the fate you realized was like a career hit, and depending on who you worked for, you might even become untouchable.