Prairie State Wire

Illinois' top Republican says that based on the latest U.S. Attorney's office allegations that House Speaker Michael Madigan is "Public Official A" in a bribery scheme involving Commonwealth Edison, it's time for the speaker to step down.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch has announced a deal with ComEd, the state’s largest utility company, to end an investigation that allegedly implicates Madigan (D-Chicago) and involves more than $1 million in payments to Madigan’s associates.   

Illinois Republican Party chair Tim Schneider issued a statement in response to the news conference by Lausch and a statement by Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritkzer.

“Based on the evidence presented today by the United States Attorney’s office, and in the context of months of revelations about the federal investigation into Speaker Michael Madigan and his closest associates, we believe it’s time for Speaker Madigan to do the right thing for Illinois and resign his office,” Schneider said.

Schneider also pointed out previous controversy involving Pritzker.

“Gov. Pritzker’s refusal to make such a clear statement may have to do with his own federal investigation into property tax fraud," Schneider charges. "Perhaps he is concerned that calling on Speaker Madigan to resign will lead to calls for his own resignation. We cannot discern when Gov. Pritzker thinks Speaker Madigan should resign: next week, only when he’s indicted or only after he’s been convicted? Nor can we discern whether Gov. Pritzker will commit to resigning should the allegations against him bear truth.”

Schneider called on Madigan to resign and urged Pritzker to do the same if the investigations into the governor's alleged property tax fraud escalate.

"The people of Illinois cannot afford this scandal to drag on for months and years," Schneider said. "Speaker Madigan should spare the citizens of Illinois by resigning immediately. Should the federal probe of Gov. Pritzker’s property tax fraud continue to escalate, we would expect him to do the same.”