House Speaker Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-Hillside) | Photo Courtesy of Emanuel Chris Welch
House Speaker Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-Hillside) | Photo Courtesy of Emanuel Chris Welch
The Illinois Republican Party is calling out Democratic leaders for supporting former House Speaker Michael Madigan despite clear evidence of wrongdoing tied to his position atop the legislative body.
“Last week, the ‘ComEd Four’ were found guilty on all charges related to a conspiracy to bribe former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, and while this guilty verdict is a reflection on every House Democrat who enabled former Speaker Madigan and the pervasive culture of corruption in Springfield over the past few decades, more questions remain,” IL GOP said in a Facebook post.
IL GOP Chairman Don Tracy added more in a press release.
“Speaker Chris Welch, Democratic Party of Illinois Chairwoman Lisa Hernandez, and other Democrats on the Special Investigating Committee failed the people of Illinois, and it is no surprise they continue to cover up the truth. Why did Welch and Hernandez refer to the special investigation committee on Madigan as a ‘political show’ and ‘sham investigation’? They had the opportunity to uphold their oaths of office and end the culture of corruption but chose not to,” Tracy said. “This guilty verdict only proved what we already knew – that Illinois Democrat corruption is not a Republican talking point but something that is unfortunately real, pervasive, and a serious threat to honest government.
IL GOP said Welch and Hernandez were rewarded for their loyalty to Madigan by being given leadership positions.
The Illinois Opportunity Project also questioned the continued support of Welch, who killed a state investigation into Madigan. IPO also questioned how voters can trust House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) following the ComEd Four convictions "when just two years ago he was thankful for all Madigan had done?"
“Restoring trust should be the priority of state government officials. But, that starts with being deserving of trust. Illinoisans know that level of credibility won’t come from politicians like Welch or Pritzker,” IPO added. “Federal investigators held Madigan’s accomplices accountable. Now it’s time for Illinois residents to do the same for politicians who have repeatedly lied to them while aiding and abetting the corrupt Mike Madigan.”
IL GOP’s comments come after former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker along with Madigan associate Michael McClain and lobbyist Jay Doherty, who previously ran the City Club of Chicago, were convicted of scheming to pay $1.3 million to Madigan-connected people and companies. As part of the scheme, ComEd provided jobs – some of which were no-show – and contracts to those with connections to Madigan who at the time controlled the Democratic Party and had wielded power as the state’s most powerful politician as the longest-serving state House Speaker in the nation.
ComEd, the state’s largest utility, engaged in the scheme to influence Madigan to get preferential treatment in the state House. ComEd paid a $200 million fine in July 2020 and admitted to the scheme.
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