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* I happen to agree that the House Special Investigating Committee was a “show trial.” Democrats on the committee were clearly committed to defending House Speaker Michael Madigan at all costs. Republicans, who demanded the committee’s creation, deliberately tried to do as much damage to Madigan as possible and went in with the presumption of guilt.
But this claim by the committee’s chairman, Rep. Chris Welch, was a bit much…
Minority Leader Durkin gave away the game, he let the cat out of the bag, when he used the Special Investigation Committee as a platform to persuade Democrats to vote for him for speaker.
With the latest arraignments of figures in ComEd’s federal Bribery case, Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin said it’s time for Speaker Michael Madigan, the alleged target of the scheme, to resign as Speaker and Representative.
“Both, I am asking him to leave the General Assembly,” he said.
Sixty votes are needed in the House to be elected Speaker. So, Durkin was asked if Republicans will join with Democrats—who hold a veto-proof majority—to elect a Democrat other than Madigan? No, he said.
“As of today, I have more votes for Speaker than any other member of the House of Representatives, and I will say I have more votes than Speaker Madigan, so I will over the next month and a half appeal to 15 Democrats, who have a reform agenda, reform-minded Democrats,” he said.
* Coverage roundup…
* Committee adjourns after 3 meetings in 4 months: Throughout the combative three-hour hearing, the three House Republicans and three Democrats clashed repeatedly over the rules of procedure, disagreed about the facts contained in the federal court documents and levied accusations of political stunts and a “kangaroo court.” The House Democratic members — Reps. Chris Welch, of Hillside, Natalie Manley, of Joliet, and Elizabeth Hernandez, of Cicero — voted no on a motion, presented by Manley, that Madigan engaged in conduct unbecoming of legislator. With a deadlocked vote along party lines, the motion failed to pass.
* Statehouse committee looking into Madigan concludes suddenly — and finds no wrongdoing: One of those motions, which would issue subpoenas to “certain persons,” sparked the ire of Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville. “… I’m supposed to vote on a motion that’s going to subpoena pretty much everybody in the state of Illinois because this body, the three Democrats on this, will not go so far as to even name names,” Wehrli said. “This isn’t Voldemort we’re talking about here, you can actually say the man’s name. You’re going to excruciating lengths to protect Michael J. Madigan from ever having to testify…”
* Madigan’s Allies Shut Down Illinois House Probe Into Embattled Speaker: But the three Democrats said there was no evidence Madigan had any personal knowledge of ComEd’s attempts to influence him, echoing the speaker’s own defense in the wake of the federal corruption investigation and the House committee’s formation.
* Illinois House panel adjourns after a party-line vote fails to uphold charges that Madigan acted improperly in ComEd case: “We cannot allow a vague assertion that this will somehow complicate a federal criminal investigation to deter this committee from doing its job, especially when time and time again the U.S. attorney’s office has confirmed that this committee has a job to do, and they do not object to us doing that job,” Demmer said. “The special investigative committee exists for one reason: to conduct an investigation. No one here can say that a thorough investigation involves hearing from only one witness.”
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 9:55 am
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The committee seems to have worked as intended.
It was created with a bipartisan membership to kill any partisan shenanigans.
One assumes charges brought against Durkin of a similar nature would receive similar treatment.
The US Attorney will sort this all out soon.
Comment by Ferris Wheeler Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:02 am
Do we cue the tape from the Billy Madison scholastic competition at this point in reference to Welch’s statement.
Comment by Just Do It Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:03 am
Wehrli went down in his ball of flames. Good theatre for him, good riddance to Wehrli, the body will be a much better place without him seated.
To the Welch hyperbole,
This idea that Welch thinks Durkin is seeking the gavel on this way and manner… if you want me to take serious Welch’s idea that it’s a show committee for Raunerites, ok, but now it’s to cultivate votes for the gavel?
Who’s being the showman now?
It’s another time… maybe nothing said is best said to a moment.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:04 am
a platform to persuade Democrats to vote for him for speaker
One has to wonder who drank more of the spiked eggnog. Durkin, or Welch?
The thought is so silly its amazing Welch even bothered to mention it. Sham “hearings” are a feature of legislatures state and national. Just go through the motions and shut it down.
Comment by Fav Human Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:04 am
The committee really was an unforced error by the HGOP. Did Durkin know he was in a McClain email? I think he should have known. Especially since by the time of the charges that were filed everyone knew that McClain was fairly careless with his communication skills. While I certainly do not think there is anything wrong with helping find jobs, everyone from the speaker to the janitor does it, Durkin let the Dems on the committee muddy up what the Feds are looking into.
Comment by Nagidam Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:10 am
Zock did raise two fun facts…Doherty paid over $3.1 million and hired hundred…G reports spending about $700k and hired 5. Who else….Durkie? NoTaxBill? More queries
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:20 am
==he used the Special Investigation Committee as a platform to persuade Democrats to vote for him for speaker==
Hyperbole?…A few years ago, I would have agreed. Now, after this year’s election, and the across the board insistence by Republicans that demonstrably false things are true…including by Durkin…I just don’t know. Maybe Durkin is starting to believe the stuff he and other members of his party say. It seems to be the current party brand.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:21 am
Laugh at Durkin all you want, but he is telling the truth when he says he has more votes for Speaker right now than anyone else. That isn’t so funny when you think about it.
Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:33 am
=== Laugh at Durkin all you want, but he is telling the truth when he says he has more votes for Speaker right now than anyone else.===
Durkin is trolling.
If you take his words seriously you are the one he meant to troll as well.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 10:46 am
Someone should take a closer look at Durkin, David Walsh, Tom Walsh and Matt O’Shea. I bet you will find David Walsh, Tom Walsh and Matt O’Shea lobbied almost every client McClain had on behalf of the Republicans. McClain lobbied for ComEd, AT&T, INCS charter schools and others. Walsh, Walsh, and OShea do too. Welch should have subpoenaed the Westchester Irish Mob and put them all under oath and exposed this mess even further.
Comment by Take a Closer Look Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 11:46 am
Only in Illinois does talking about making a deal get you 14 years in prison, and actually making a deal gets you Speaker of the House.
Comment by Unstable Genius Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 11:51 am
No, Unstable Genius, trying to shake down a hospital for a campaign donation, and threatening to shut off their funding if they didn’t pay, also gets you sent to Federal prison.
Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 12:33 pm
I’m wondering what will Wehrli, Mazzochi and Demmer do now to justify their weekly virtual press conferences? Will the junior g men continue to think they can do a better job than USA Lausch?
Comment by Wondering Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 1:09 pm
I hope Madigan stays. He impeached Rod Bagojevich and passed Ethics Act in 2003. While he’s not perfect, the corruption would be even worse without him. A number of IL house members did dirty deals with ComEd on their own, IL executive agencies and courts have failed on following the Ethics Act. Many IL pols, judges, and constitutional officers (on the side that pardoned Blagojevich) are openly worse than Madigan.
Comment by Sangamon County Corruption Refugee Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 2:56 pm
MJM passed an ethics act in 2003 with no teeth so no one would need to follow it. All just for show when it comes to ethics under MJM
Comment by Etown Tuesday, Dec 15, 20 @ 3:40 pm