North Cook News

In some ways, veteran state Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) feels Springfield’s whole system of government is under the microscope during the widening federal corruption probe now entangling House Speaker Mike Madigan.

"The speaker position is an appointed one by the majority party members of the House of Representatives,” Morrison told the North Cook News. “So, many of them are in fear of stepping out of line and crossing the speaker. The question is, do these representatives truly represent their residents' best interests or is it their own seat they're more concerned about?“

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.

Morrison concedes that all speaks to the level of power Madigan has been able to amass over the years, though he laments much of it has come at the expense of residents and taxpayers all over the state.

“Illinois is a national leader in public corruption,” he said. “It's an embarrassment and disgrace. More voters need to wake up to the fact that elections – especially state and local ones – have serious consequences on our day-to-day lives and livelihoods.”

In the end, Morrison said voters need to come together to take back their power.

“Illinois' problems have been decades in the making,” he said. “The voters need to help and support the candidates who are trying to do what's right for the state. It can be exhausting work, but if more pitched in to help, we'd begin to see a change.”