* A look into the jury’s thought process…
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy…
“That there will be some measure of accountability for the decades of abuse of power and corruption is critically important and will have implications for our state government for generations. Particularly in a moment when our federal government has been subsumed by blatantly corrupt forces, we need our state government to be trustworthy to the public and focused on the will of the people, not self-interest. This verdict will help move us toward that goal.”
* Senate President Harmon…
Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement regarding the verdict in the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
“The jury’s verdict closes a long, disturbing chapter in Illinois’ history. It’s a stark reminder that corruption, abuse of power and manipulation of public policy for personal gain can never be tolerated. We cannot be effective if people don’t trust us.
Yet, every failure is an opportunity to be better. In recent years, we have worked to restore that trust through balanced budgets, credit rating upgrades, community investments and sweeping, bipartisan ethics reform.
Today’s verdict is a sobering reminder that our work is never finished.
I stand ready to work with my colleagues to continue this fight for the people of Illinois.”
* ILGOP Chair Kathy Salvi…
“Mike Madigan, the long-time leader of the Illinois Democrat Party, now faces accountability from decades of fleecing Illinois’ taxpayers. The Illinois Democrat Party is no stranger to corruption and putting its own interest above the Prairie State but it doesn’t have to be this way. Most Democrat elected officials will pretend today that they condemn Madigan but their history proves otherwise. Make no mistake: nearly every Democrat in Illinois has benefitted from Madigan’s corruption in some way, and they have all been willing to sell their souls for hefty donations and the support of the political machine Madigan built. While we have a long way to go to recover from more than half a century of Madigan’s corruption, today is a great day for the people of Illinois.”
* House Republican Organization…
Following the jury’s decision in Mike Madigan’s Federal bribery trial, the Illinois House Republican Organization released the following statement:
“Today, the jury confirmed what the public has suspected for years – that Mike Madigan built a political machine to favor his friends and enrich himself at the expense of Illinois families. For decades, he used his office to consolidate power, reward allies, and protect a corrupt system that put special interests ahead of taxpayers.
This conviction is a step toward justice, but it is not enough. The culture of corruption in Springfield did not start or end with Mike Madigan. Many members of the General Assembly benefited from his political operation, accepted his money, and enabled his reign. They must be held accountable.
The current members of the Illinois House, accepted nearly $16.5 million in campaign donations from Mike Madigan’s political committees including these members who received at least a half a million dollars each:
Terra Costa Howard - $1,626,379
Katie Stuart - $1,506,320
Suzanne Ness - $1,242,814
Michelle Mussman - $1,117,022
Joyce Mason - $1,063,044
Janet Yang Rohr - $1,030,974
Sue Scherer - $998,479
Fred Crespo - $925,693
Stephanie Kifowit - $727,992
Natalie Manley - $585,067
Harry Benton - $565,393
Maura Hirschauer - $523,469
Jehan Gordon-Booth - $500,441
House Republicans and the Federal Justice System are doing what these members refuse to do: the important work of reforming state government so it works for the people, not the political insiders.
It is time for immediate and sweeping anti-corruption and transparency reforms. House Republicans are ready with draft legislation and the determination to get it done. Democrats in Springfield have blocked those efforts at every turn. Today’s conviction should be a wake up call for the majority party to finally dismantle Madigan’s corrupt machine.”
* House Republicans…
Who: House Republican Leader Tony McCombie (Savanna) Deputy House Republican Leader Ryan Spain (Peoria) and Assistant Leader Patrick Windhorst (Metropolis).
What: In the wake of a partial verdict in which former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was found guilty on multiple counts of bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud, House Republicans renew their demand for the General Assembly to take action on ethics reforms to root out corruption and prevent criminal activity by politicians and their cronies.
When: [1.00] PM on Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Where: ZOOM (event will also be featured live on Blueroom Stream and the caucus Facebook page)
This post will be updated.
…Adding…Capitol News Illinois Reporter Ben Szalinski asked Rep. Ann Williams for her reaction…
…Adding… Reform for Illinois, Change Illinois and Common Cause Illinois…
Former House Speaker Michael Madigan has been found guilty on federal corruption charges. It’s an important milestone in establishing accountability for the powerful. But it’s nowhere near enough to restore public trust and strengthen our democracy. Our laws and our politicians enabled Madigan’s decades-long reign, and this verdict just underscores the need for broad, systemic change in Illinois.
The investigations of Madigan and his associates revealed a pattern of behavior aimed at maximizing political control and personal wealth at the expense of the public interest. For too long, Madigan was protected by the walls of power he had built, using money and favors to ensure the loyalty of those around him and exploiting weak ethics rules and a culture that accepted corruption as business as usual.
Springfield lawmakers have the opportunity to turn things around. They took a critical step by finally ousting Madigan when his indictment seemed inevitable, but an ethics task force prompted by mounting scandals never delivered any recommendations, and the ethics package legislators enacted in 2021 was full of loopholes and fell far short of what was needed to deliver real change.
The Legislative Inspector General at the time, Carol Pope, resigned her post in protest, saying the bill showed that “true ethics reform is not a priority” for the statehouse. Governor Pritzker delivered eloquent speeches about rooting out corruption, but despite admitting that he “wanted more”, failed to use his veto power or bully pulpit to meaningfully strengthen the laws.
Both Governor Pritzker and legislators described the 2021 package as a “first step,” with the governor vowing to “push for [more] every single year that I’m in office.” But we haven’t seen any progress on these issues since then.
For years good government groups have been advocating for common sense reforms that are the norm in many other states, including strengthening oversight by empowering the Legislative Inspector General’s office, improving lobbying regulation and revolving door rules, reducing abuse of our campaign finance system, and enforcing conflict of interest rules. A number of these policies would be new only to the legislature, already existing in Illinois’ executive branch and at the local level.
We’re encouraged by lawmakers who have introduced robust reform bills this session, including state Senators Laura Murphy, Julie Morrison, Tony McCombie, and Jil Tracy, and Reps. Kelly Cassidy, Ryan Spain, and Abdelnasser Rashid.
New faces have appeared in Springfield since 2021, and with this verdict, there are new opportunities for change. We hope lawmakers will follow through on their promise to continue this work and begin rebuilding Illinoisans’ faith in their government. Failing to fix our broken system will just leave the door open for the next Madigan, continuing the cycle of corruption, scandal, and mistrust that plagues our state. Illinois deserves better.
…Adding… Rep. Terra Costa Howard…
“It’s been almost five years since I followed my conscience and led the call for Michael J. Madigan to resign as Speaker of the House and Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Today, the jury has spoken, and Madigan stands convicted of corruption.
“At a time when the principles that have guided our government and our country for generations are under attack, I am deeply encouraged that our justice system has delivered this verdict. Corruption and unethical behavior by political leaders cannot be allowed to pervert our government and undermine the people’s trust. Today, the people won.”
…Adding… Mike McClain…
…Adding… House Speaker Chris Welch…
“I have always believed that a court of law was the place for this to all be sorted out. Today’s outcome leaves me with great appreciation and respect for our legal system. Investigators, prosecutors, and a jury of Illinoisans did their job.”
“House Democrats have been focused on delivering for working people, rebuilding Illinois’ fiscal house, and prioritizing our shared values to combat the divisive tactics coming from Washington—and only through new leadership and a new vision of how the People’s House can operate would that work be possible. House Democrats will continue to do our job and deliver for the people.”
…Adding… House GOP Leader McCombie…
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement in response to the partial guilty verdict in the federal corruption trial of former House Speaker Michael Madigan today:
“House Republicans remain determined in demanding meaningful reform to restore trust in our government and serve the interests of Illinois families. Today’s federal court verdict convicting Mike Madigan, the former Speaker of the House whose 40-year reign casts a long shadow over Illinois politics, on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud underscores the urgent need for action.
“Unfortunately, Democrats in Springfield have repeatedly failed to take ethics legislation seriously, even after the resignation of the Legislative Inspector General, which should have been a wake-up call for change. Instead of seizing the opportunity to implement real oversight and accountability, the majority party has allowed the status quo of corruption and insider politics to persist.
“House Republicans are committed to fighting for robust reforms that prioritize the needs of Illinois families over political self-interest. It’s time to end the culture of corruption and deliver the honest, transparent government our state deserves.”
…Adding… Senate Republican Leader John Curran…
“The jury has spoken, and the deeply entrenched culture of corruption that has dictated public policy at the expense of Illinois taxpayers must be addressed. Accountability and transparency in public policy decisions are non-negotiable and reforming the legislative process must be a top priority in this legislative session. We will continue to advocate for our aggressive ethics reform proposals to help restore trust with the People of Illinois.”
…Adding… Governor JB Pritzker…
Trust in public officials is something that’s hard earned. Public service ought to be a high calling for honest people with integrity. And those who violate the public’s trust must be held accountable if confidence in the system is to be restored.
The Madigan verdict by a jury of everyday Illinoisans is an important message to anyone in government — or those thinking about public service — that if you choose corruption you will be found out, and you will be punished.
This week has been a vital reminder that we must maintain our vigilance in cleaning up government and always put the people we serve first.
