Chicago media is reporting that Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), left, "strongly" influenced Gov. J.B. Pritzker's appointments of two high-ranking Illinois Tollway Authority officials. | File photos
Chicago media is reporting that Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), left, "strongly" influenced Gov. J.B. Pritzker's appointments of two high-ranking Illinois Tollway Authority officials. | File photos
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's ties to House Speaker Mike Madigan's (D-Chicago) involvement in events that led to a federal bribery investigation continue to surface as the Chicago Sun-Times has reported another connection between the most powerful politicians in the state.
The news media reported that the Illinois Tollway Authority’s (ITA) top two officials got their jobs from Pritzker after they were “strongly endorsed” by Madigan and a former lobbyist for Commonwealth Edison, according to an Illinois GOP news release. The executives are ITA Chairman Will Evans and Executive Director Jose Alvarez, both named in 2019.
The news release notes that Evans and Alvarez got their jobs soon after the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation that gave Pritzker the ability to fill posts. John Hooker, the ex-lobbyist for ComEd, has also been referred to – although not by name – as a key voice behind Evans and Alvarez's appointments as well as in the utilities giant's bribery scandal, the news release stated.
ITA Chairman Will Evans
| Facebook
ComEd has admitted it engaged in bribery hoping it would help to win passage of certain favorable legislation involving Madigan because of the power he holds over rate hikes and regulatory matters. Madigan was a longtime confidant of Hooker and another ComEd lobbyist, Michael McCain, when they allegedly hatched a plan to help Madigan associates funnel money through a consulting firm, court records state, according to the news release.
There were false contracts and invoices that listed payment for advice on legislative issues and "legislative risk-management activities," the news release stated.
Madigan is not the only one Pritzker has failed to call upon to resign. He also has been silent on Illinois Commerce Commission Chairman Carrie Zalewski, who the news release states was appointed by Madigan to oversee ComEd. Zalewski is also the daughter-in-law of Chicago Alderman Michael Zalewski, who is another target in the investigation.
One media report predicts that Pritzker will likely face "political death by a thousand cuts" in the coming weeks as the investigation deepens.
Alerts Sign-up