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* Background is here if you need it. Mike Miletich…
The 19 House Democrats who called for Madigan to resign during the ComEd investigation also responded to the indictment Wednesday night. This group was frequently criticized by other veterans in the Democratic caucus for stepping forward to call for change in House leadership.
Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard) recalled her experience calling for the corruption to end in the House during the summer of 2020. She said the 19 stood alongside each other, either in person or through encouraging messages between each other.
“This was not easy for any of us,” Costa Howard said. “But at the end of the day, I know that I can look my daughters in the face and tell them doing what’s right isn’t always easy but doing what’s right is the right thing to do.”
Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) said they faced intense pressure to keep the status quo in the chamber, but the 19 couldn’t let that happen.
“This is about Speaker Madigan and what he did, and to what extent he influenced the culture of this building,” Cassidy said. “The first thing you do when you get cancer is you cut out the cancer. Then you treat what happened afterward.”
The 19 said they are still most concerned with how Illinois lawmakers can restore trust in government.
* Hannah Meisel…
“Madigan utilized his position as Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois to influence and garner loyalty from legislators by providing or withholding staff and funding to legislators and their campaigns,” the feds alleged.
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), who, along with Cassidy was early in calling for Madigan’s resignation after the speaker was named “Public Official A” in ComEd’s deferred prosecution agreement, was one of those members to whom funding was withheld.
Costa Howard still received some support from Madigan’s deep campaign coffers in 2020, but not nearly as much as her colleagues in similar suburban districts that had historically been GOP territory.
On Wednesday, Costa Howard’s voice wavered in a news conference put on by the group of 19 House Democrats who publicly said prior to last year’s lame duck session that they wouldn’t vote for Madigan as speaker again — a decisive number that ended up attracting even more dissidents to block the speaker’s path.
Watch the full press conference here.
* From the Q&A…
Q: The Republicans just a few minutes ago said that Speaker Welch is Madigan’s hand-picked successor.
[Loud and long laughter from the gathered members]
Rep. Ann Williams: I think we had something to do with Speaker Welch being speaker.
While true that Madigan called Welch to tell him about his plan to suspend his reelection campaign, what’s not widely known is Welch wasn’t the only person to get a heads-up from Madigan.
* The members were also asked about the dangers that Illinois Democrats will face in an election year because of Madigan’s indictment. Rep. Cassidy gave the response…
I think I’d rather focus on what our colleagues would be facing if we hadn’t been successful. And what this day would look like if he were still speaker, the chaos that our work would have been plunged into, the complete lack of any forward motion on any of the issues that we’re working on here. I think that that’s what today’s story is about.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:29 am
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This self righteousness is bizarre. They didn’t vote him out because it was the right thing to do they did it because him being leader was finally hurting them at the ballot box.
Moral posturing when it was really about elections.
Comment by Lord of the Fries Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:31 am
** him being leader was finally hurting them at the ballot box.**
How many of the 19 were hurt at the ballot box by MJM?
Comment by SaulGoodman Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:37 am
I agree with His Lordship.
Come on kids, the self-adulation is unnecessary and beneath almost everyone of you.
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:37 am
Special shoutout to Melinda Bush, the first senator to call for Madigan’s resignation, and to Anne Stava Murray for voting against MJM for speaker in 2019.
Comment by Lake Villa Township Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:38 am
Democrat senator*
Comment by Lake Villa Township Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:38 am
SaulGoodman come one, they had a net loss in the house when they should’ve won 5-4 seats. The more members in the caucus the more power they have, this isn’t hard.
Stava Murray is the only one that can claim she was doing what was right. For the rest, as soon as he became a liability more than an asset, bye bye
Comment by Lord of the Fries Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:41 am
=== they did it because him being leader was finally hurting them at the ballot box.===
HDems were still a super majority.
It was more like Tommy DeVito… it was about in a totality “having enough of MJM” and how MJM was…and “a lotta other things”
Electoral successes are easily seen, including a statewide sweep, and Rauner unable to even field a credible statewide slate.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:41 am
“I think I’d rather focus on what our colleagues would be facing if we hadn’t been successful. And what this day would look like if he were still speaker”
Correct. That part of the equation is over but for the endless opposition screaming that will likely follow.
“the complete lack of any forward motion on any of the issues that we’re working on here”
That’s the name of the game, forward progress on issues. That quiver is pretty full, in terms of policy accomplishments. Next they need to give us inflation relief, which is JB’s plan. How much can we taxpayers take of tax tax tax, spend spend spend?
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:42 am
===Democrat senator*===
“When your in-law uncle wants to remind you they watch FoxNews for no real apparent reason”
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:43 am
They deserve credit for doing something but it certainly was late in the long tenure of Madigan. Those who took huge amounts of money from Madigan campaign funds deserve much less credit than the others. Much less.
Comment by Fan Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:51 am
This is nauseating.
Dems that truly stood up to Madigan over the years have been scorned and ridiculed and this group is being offered up now as being courageous.
Only in Illinois.
Comment by Beyond Belief Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 11:59 am
===… this group is being offered up now as being courageous.===
They succeeded.
Victory is theirs.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:00 pm
Its good they did it, but what is left out, not just by them but by many of my Dem friends, is all the good Madigan did over many years to move Democratic policies forward. Including much progressive legislation.
So maybe just be glad you removed him when you did and leave it at that.
Comment by low level Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:01 pm
===they did it because him being leader was finally hurting them at the ballot box===
Most weren’t threatened politically by MJM’s existence, but they were most certainly threatened politically and otherwise when they stood against his reelection.
But please go ahead with your clueless snappy takes about how everyone is just as cynical as you appear to be.
You apparently have no concept of how difficult it was for them to stand up to the entire Democratic organization against the head of that organization. Yeah, they’re just cynical, says the extreme cynic.
Go back to the tavern, you hack.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:02 pm
Politicians will often give back political donations received from “tainted” benefactors. Any chance we’ll see that here?
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:02 pm
== Dems that truly stood up to Madigan over the years have been scorned and ridiculed ==
Oh. You mean like Ken Dunkin? Um, yeah no thanks.
Comment by low level Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:03 pm
will have to keep showing that democrats stood up. going to be a rocky election season.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:05 pm
===Dems that truly stood up to Madigan===
LOL
Define “truly.” The last two who come to mind were self-promoting goofballs. And one was always on the make.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:05 pm
If we applaud the 19, and I believe we should, then the House GOP should also commended. They saw Madigan for what he was and were brave enough to point it out, but much, much earlier.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:06 pm
===give back political donations received from “tainted” benefactors===
Oh, you mean they should contribute to his legal fund? lol
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:07 pm
== Politicians will often give back political donations received from “tainted” benefactors. Any chance we’ll see that here? ==
No, but those with opponents will spend tons of money talking about Madigan while these people only have to mention their vote. Then, poof–all that money spent attacking them is wasted.
Comment by Torco Sign Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:09 pm
“Oh, you mean they should contribute to his legal fund? lol”
Good point. But, there are countless examples of recipients of “fruit from a poisoned tree” giving the money to worthy non-profits.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:10 pm
===They saw Madigan for what he was and were brave enough to point it out===
Hilarious.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:11 pm
===then the House GOP should also commended. They saw Madigan for what he was and were brave enough to point it out, but much, much earlier.===
If that were remotely accurate Durkin and the Caucus would’ve also told the USA what they saw and helped the investigation.
It was political posturing.
They did a whole movie, t-shirts… “koozies”
Let’s not pretend what was going on.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:13 pm
== Those who took huge amounts of money from Madigan campaign funds deserve much less credit than the others.==
They should have allowed themselves to be outspent by GOP money? Madigan was the leader of the caucus. It was his job to protect and help fund members in targeted districts.
Comment by low level Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:17 pm
No doubt Rich is right - it wasn’t easy for the house members to go against what had to be strong internal lobbying from organized labor and others. We saw how that lobbying worked on all of the House members who refused to sign on with the 19. The party can be a big club that’s hard to buck and if you do there are consequences.
Remember Chris Kennedy was one of the first to call out the Madigan law firm’s pay-to-play in 2017-2018. Party insiders shunned Kennedy.
It’s tough to speak out against the entrenched interests.
Comment by here we go Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:20 pm
It’s worth differentiating between those in real races and those who were in noncompetitive ones or even unopposed. It’s a whole lot easier to stand up to the Madigan Machine when you don’t need his money for reelection.
Comment by Torco Sign Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:23 pm
“It was his job to protect and help fund members in targeted districts.”
But, if the indictment is accurate, the money Madigan dispensed to them was “ill-gotten”. I’m not saying they have to give it back. It’s simply what others have done to show their outrage over potentially illegal actions. Not giving it back opens them up to questions of why they won’t. And once they are explaining, they are losing the narrative.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:24 pm
=== And once they are explaining, they are losing the narrative===
So, you basically just admit that you want them to do what you know they can’t do so that you can then get some sort of perceived political advantage on people who stood up when nobody else in their caucus would and did the right thing.
You’re such a peach.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:27 pm
===It’s worth differentiating…===
… that the 19 succeeded where all others failed.
===It’s a whole lot easier to stand up to the Madigan Machine when…===
You are really clueless as to what brought MJM down and why…
===Not giving it back opens them up to questions of why they won’t. And once they are explaining, they are losing the narrative.===
“Madigan is no longer Speaker, the last Speaker I voted for was Speaker Welch”
If a voter *now* is turned off by MJM connections, they were in the 17% or so that weren’t before the indictment, and that’s a small group.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:29 pm
===It’s tough to speak out against the entrenched interests===
I would add “in your own party.” Just ask those House Republicans who voted to override Rauner’s tax hike veto.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:30 pm
Downstate, I get what you are saying, but the argument was that,
“Those who took huge amounts of money from Madigan campaign funds deserve much less credit than the others.” What I am suggesting is those in targeted races needed to accept more help and assistance then those in safe D districts.
So if we look at Costa Howard, we certainly will see her getting much more assistance then say LaPointe or Croke. But its understandable. Without that assistance, they are defeated by GOP.
Comment by low level Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:32 pm
He reaped the rewards of his corruption and will probably never see the inside of a jail cell.
Comment by Waldi Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:41 pm
“So, you basically just admit that you want them to do what you know they can’t do so that you can then get some sort of perceived political advantage on people who stood up when nobody else in their caucus would and did the right thing.”
You bestow a deviousness to me that simply doesn’t exist. I think the 19 did an admirable job. But there were other members that simply sat on their hands. And those members that sat on their hands, then, and the Madigan dollars, now, will likely be called out on it.
It’s important to keep in mind that Madigan has only been indicted, not convicted. Hence, they could sit on Madigan’s largesse until there’s a conviction in place.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:42 pm
And after all this, Scott Drury will still never get a clock.
Comment by Scott Fawell's Cellmate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:49 pm
“Losing the narrative” is what Republicans want. But the narrative here is that Democrats stood up to and ousted their leader one year before he was indicted.
The brave 19 (h/t OW) look even braver when compared with the other party, who either cowers before or supports the former president. Two can play the opposition screaming game. Madigan was pushed out, but the ex-president is still in the game, thanks to the party who strongly opposed impeaching him. Will he endorse anyone in Illinois? That would be fun, in the narrative battle.
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:09 pm
Like it or not, we are about to hear the word “Madigan” even more often now. Members are wise to talk about how they stood up to him and provide distance.
*I hope the Governor’s campaign is taking notice. This race just became a lot closer regardless of whatever the Feds say about his involvement
Comment by low level Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:09 pm
“Members are wise to talk about how they stood up to him and provide distance”
That covers the 19. But there are 118 members in the house Democrat caucus.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:12 pm
“- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 12:02 pm:
===they did it because him being leader was finally hurting them at the ballot box===
Most weren’t threatened politically by MJM’s existence, but they were most certainly threatened politically and otherwise when they stood against his reelection.
But please go ahead with your clueless snappy takes about how everyone is just as cynical as you appear to be.
You apparently have no concept of how difficult it was for them to stand up to the entire Democratic organization against the head of that organization. Yeah, they’re just cynical, says the extreme cynic.
Go back to the tavern, you hack.”
AMEN!
There are now decades of “would have been good for the people of Illinois” persons whose political aspirations were dashed if they even gave off the air of not being willing to dangle on the strings of the hopefully now being dismantled rot that was “The Party”. Those who dared to say “NO MORE” are to be commended. These electeds were/are denied access to what was a lucrative funding pot and earned support and endorsements.
Comment by The Hills 60010 Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:13 pm
The irony of Terra Cost-alot-Howard …
Anyone ask her to stop calling people and begging for help to get her across the petition finish line? A little THC would relax her a bit.
Comment by THC Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:13 pm
First, the 19 were indeed courageous. They took many slings and arrows from within their own party and the outcome was never certain.
The irony (of many ironies) to me is that these 19 are generally on the moderate side or represent districts that may vote punish Democrats this year. That’s because of general national dissatisfaction with the Democrats.
But ironically it’s also because the Speaker threw in with the Black Caucus on their pillars in a bid to save his own skin. Those pillars, especially in the criminal justice area, are more unpopular now than ever. Madigan likely knew that it would backfire on Democrats in the next election, but didn’t care because he wanted to hold onto the gavel.
Several of the 19 could very well lose their seats because the Democrats lurched too far left, aided and abetted by a Speaker who was forced into a corner by these very legislators.
Comment by phocion Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:15 pm
=== But there are 118 members in the house Democrat caucus.===
The only thing you got Right in this whole sentence is you spelled “Democrat” right in its derogatory, FoxNews formatting.
Maybe you were so excited to type that word you forgot the real number in the House Democratic caucus?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:15 pm
(Tip cap back at - GoM -)
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:17 pm
“forgot the real number in the House Democratic caucus”
My apologies. Meant no offense. I’m simply not a political insider.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:19 pm
===I’m simply not a political insider.==
You don’t need to be an insider of anything to realize a point you’re making, while typing “Democrat” like a badge of honor, might need the actual correct number of members to be true.
I mean, even your apology is snide.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:23 pm
=the House GOP should also commended.=
And yet they cannot stand up to a couple of their racist, pro-COVID, pro-insurrectionists. Real bastion of courage they are. Lol
=The brave 19 (h/t OW) look even braver when compared with the other party, who either cowers before or supports the former president. Two can play the opposition screaming game. Madigan was pushed out, but the ex-president is still in the game, thanks to the party who strongly opposed impeaching him. =
Once again @Grandson of Man is totally money and spot on. Well done sir.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:25 pm
From some of these comments you’d think the 19 were Mary Kenney. Remember her? She was a young lawyer who blew up her career to expose corruption (in that case it was calling out flaws in the Rolando Cruz investigation). Yes, the 19 deserve credit for a certain amount of political bravery. I suspect most of them would have been reelected had Madigan stayed and wasn’t further weakened, and those who lost wouldn’t have stayed unemployed for long, but power is somnething humans are loath to risk losing. So thanks 19. But I’ll thank the US Attorneys office more. If it’s true as Rich says that only self-serving Democrats were willing to stand up to Madigan prior to this investigation, that’s just all the more evidence of how this state can’t save itself, it needs federal superheroes to do it.
Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:27 pm
“I mean, even your apology is snide.”
Seriously, that is the challenge of digital communication.
Caucus members - 73. Proving my point that I’m not a political insider. LOL
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:33 pm
I’m a retired librarian and I’ve known about the “Democrat” dog whistle since the 1990s.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:46 pm
Speaker Welch did not add any of these 19 Representatives who crossed their party’s powerbase to his House Leadership team of 12 people
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:49 pm
Knowing civics = insider?
Good luck.
To the post,
What’s disappointing in this idea of not grasping who did what and the 19 is that the disconnect to the reasons and how these 19 had a single purpose to unite is either being diminished, forgotten, or hijacked by ideas now that never had what these 19 had… the actual ability to change things.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:49 pm
“What’s disappointing in this idea…”
I think the 19 should be applauded, and anyone else that had the courage to stand up to Mike Madigan when he was still in power. Those that refused to stand up and now hold onto his cash are the ones that need to explain themselves….but, again, maybe they can wait until after Madigan is convicted.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 1:54 pm
=== “forgot the real number in the House Democratic caucus”
My apologies. Meant no offense. I’m simply not a political insider. ===
You don’t have to be a political insider, but to carry on a discussion in this blog, you should be familiar with the makeup of State government. Otherwise you’re proving you don’t want a discussion, you want to troll.
Comment by Norseman Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:01 pm
===Speaker Welch did not add any of these 19 Representatives who crossed their party’s powerbase to his House Leadership team===
Assistant Majority Leader Robyn Gabel would differ with you.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:01 pm
Do people realize just how neutered the Illinois Republican Party actually is? In 2020, 47 out of 118 House of Representative elections did not have a Republican candidate. And that has been the trend for years. Talk all you want about how things will change but the reality is that nothing will change if voters don’t have a choice.
Comment by someonehastosayit Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:08 pm
THC - You seem to be having an issue with your own supply.
And anybody who thinks it was easy for State Rep. Costa Howard to stand up to Madigan when she faced a credible, well-funded opponent — well, you weren’t there.
(And I believe her staff may have drawn some MJM fire as well…)
Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:29 pm
== I’m simply not a political insider.==
LOLLLOLOL. Well you used google or something to find out the total number of reps. One more click would have gotten you to the party breakdown.
Comment by low level Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:31 pm
Meisel is right. And that heavy hand extended everywhere. Thank goodness my work was mostly on the Senate side. If a House member lost an election, for example, no matter how loyal he or she had been, Madigan would cut off your funds. Distict and constituents be damned. If you weren’t of use to him, you were dead.
Comment by Archiesmom Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:39 pm
Heores? That’s funny in a tragic kind of way.
Not by a long shot.
Millions of dollars and lies later.
Truthfully MJM has more nobility than many/most of these 19 martyrs. Ugh
Comment by A Guy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:48 pm
== Do people realize just how neutered the Illinois Republican Party actually is? ==
I mean…
“Loud and long laughter”
Yes. People seem to be well aware of how the Illinois Republican party has chosen to define themselves.
To the post; I don’t have any of those 19 reps representing my district, but I wish I did. Rep Costa Howard has consistently displayed admirable courage throughout, and that’s important to acknowledge. I’m glad it was mentioned in the story.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:48 pm
===Truthfully MJM has more nobility than many/most of these 19 martyrs.===
How can the 19 be martyrs?
Martyrs *lose* for a cause, and may lose their lives…
They won.
This makes zero sense, if words matter.
What makes Madigan nobler than the 19 to you, - A Guy -…
… I mean, sure, you defend Amy Grant’s words… so…
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 2:54 pm
-==I’m not a political insider. LOL
Is that why you cannot use English correctly as well?
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:12 pm
“Is that why you cannot use English correctly as well?”
By all means, pile on.
I’m certainly not the first to incorrectly refer to the Democratic party. And clearly, no matter how deep your scorn, I will not be the last.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:24 pm
Madigan was a petty man who along with his staff attacked Dems who dared challenge him on anything he thought important. This included not only the reps, but staff and campaign staff. More than a few campaign folks were blackballed from House campaigns. They knew that if he survived the scandal he would take it out on them even if it was much later.
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:27 pm
===By all means, pile on.
Everyone’s a victim.
==They saw Madigan for what he was and were brave enough to point it out, but much, much earlier.
Chairman Durkin, you mean?
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:29 pm
===incorrectly refer===
It was an intentional slight, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:33 pm
it was not easy to do what they did.
That said, there is a whole lotta self promotion I’m seeing in this crowd. I keep seeing one certain moniker trying so hard to call attention to herself…
I have mad respect for Rep. Costa Howard though - her emotion seems genuine. This was a tricky situation all around.
Comment by dupage progressive Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:37 pm
“That said, there is a whole lotta self promotion…”
In some sense, the more they crow, the more heightened the attention on those members, of their caucus, that “sat on their hands”…..and sit on Madigan’s money.
But again, the man hasn’t been convicted, yet.
Comment by Downstate Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 3:43 pm
Whether you agree with what they did, whether you agree whether they were ever in any real danger, whether you think what they did was because of their core values or “enlightened self-interest”, what those legislators did took guts. A lot of guts. A lot more guts than most of us have, I imagine.
Now, as for Costa-Howard’s claim she was somehow retaliated against, I would need to see a lot more evidence. She won almost 54-46. She was never in any real danger of losing, and with so many races in play Democrats were wise to spend that money elsewhere. Also, the one thing she really had going for her was her “independence” and you cant really claim to be anti-Madigan if you’re hauling in hundreds of thousands from his pack. Which really also makes me wonder why she wanted his “dirty” money in the first place.
But still, what she — and Cassidy and Feigenholtz in particular did — definitely took guts.
Comment by Watchmen Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 4:38 pm
“Martyrs *lose* for a cause, and may lose their lives…They won.”
Willy, I think there’s a distinction to be made between the 19 and the first ones over the battle lines like Cassidy, Costa-Howard and Kifowit (first to declare for Speaker). Those members put it on the line and had a lot to lose. That’s very different from members who signed on after the die was cast. Madigan needed 60 to become Speaker. By definition, a lot of Johnny Come Lately’s in the 19. That said, at the time I was quite surprised that none of them buckled under the Madigan pressure.
Comment by New Day Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 5:07 pm
I often find Rep. Cassidy overeager to be self-righteous, but I it’s ridiculous for her critics on the other side of the aisle to question her motivation when, whatever it was, she had the courage to risk her political future to call for the right thing. Especially considering the vast majority of the GOP has debased themselves for the likes of Donald Trump, Mary Miller, and Darren Baily.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 5:11 pm
Watchmen — She was definitely retaliated against. And that race was not assured.
Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 5:42 pm
Three cheers for The Burning Hammer Working Group‼
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 5:44 pm
=== Three cheers for The Burning Hammer Working Group
– MrJM===
Maybe that should be on t-shirts?
“Yes”
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 5:46 pm
McClain, Mapes and a few other people in the Madigan enterprise are the (political) martyrs here.
Comment by AD Thursday, Mar 3, 22 @ 10:58 pm
The Dems that stood up to Madigan didn’t make it through the primaries. Good on these reps, but the individuals who has their careers railroaded by Madigan before they even had a chance to get to Springfield can hold their head higher.
Comment by Chicagonk Friday, Mar 4, 22 @ 9:05 am