Prairie State Wire

Republican state House candidate Peter Breen struggles to understand the stance many Democrats have taken in the federal corruption probe involving House Speaker Mike Madigan.

“Numerous Democrats have stated he should step down if the allegations are true, but that’s beside the point because the allegations can only be proven through a lengthy court case,” Breen, who is running against incumbent state Rep. Terra Costa-Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) in the 48th District, told the Prairie State Wire. “It’s a meaningless and even deceptive statement because if there’s a criminal conviction, he would be required to step down. Illinois Democrats have long engaged in meaningless gestures and hand wringing about Mike Madigan without doing anything about Mike Madigan.”

After nearly four decades of being in control in Springfield, Madigan now finds himself at the center of an unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd. Federal prosecutors contend the company engaged in a “years-long bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments that were steered to him in his role as house speaker and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.

To date, no charges have been filed against the state’s longest-serving lawmaker, but prosecutors have not been shy in asserting that the utility giant sought to “influence and reward” Madigan by providing financial benefits to those directly tied to him.

“Legislators like Terra Costa-Howard are talking a good game while doing nothing,” Breen added. “Already Madigan is putting huge amounts of money into campaigns across Illinois, so it appears we are headed for yet another election cycle where Democrats say one thing while cashing Mike Madigan’s checks.”

In the end, Breen said he is hoping to see voters take back their power in assuring the state of having the kind of government many of them insist they want to see.

“Nothing is going to change in Illinois until the people in Illinois decide they want to get rid of Mike Madigan and set out to get the job done,” he said. “When the people have truly had enough, Madigan can be gone.”