* 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.