Prairie State Wire

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Mark Curran is elated to see federal investigators make their presence felt in Springfield.

“I think it’s definitely a good thing that they are getting things done on the (House Speaker) Mike Madigan front,” Curran told the Prairie State Wire. “I think we can all agree it’s well overdue given all the corruption.”

In a year in which four Springfield Democrats have been indicted on corruption related charges, the committee was formed at the insistence of House Minority Leader Jim Durkin after Madigan was implicated in an ongoing federal probe involving utility giant ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme.

The six-member bipartisan committee is made up of three GOP lawmakers (state Reps. Tom Demmer of Dixon, Deanne Mazzochi of Elmhurst and Grant Wehrli of Naperville) and three Democrats (state Reps. Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside, Elizabeth Hernandez of Cicero and Natalie Manley of Joliet). A majority vote is needed for the probe to proceed to the next stage – a new committee empowered to determine potential sanctions that would then be voted on by the entire House. A two-thirds majority would be required for any discipline to be taken against Madigan, which could include expulsion.

“I hope the committee has the teeth to do what’s needed,” said Curran, who is running against longtime Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin. “There’s no question Madigan needs to go.”

Between now and Election Day, Curran said he plans to do all he can in the eyes of voters to distinguish himself from career politicians like Madigan.

“Just making sure that they know I’m not anything like him, not even from his party,” he said. “I stand for total change in government and would never be involved in some of the things he has.”