North Cook News

State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) can’t understand why more of his colleagues don’t feel as strongly as he does that House Speaker Mike Madigan must go.

“The notion that Speaker Madigan should step down ‘if guilty’ is woefully insufficient,” Morrison said. “The powerful position of House Speaker is an appointed position by the members of the majority party at the start of every two-year term. Madigan can still hold his state rep position as the investigation continues.”

The longest-running lawmaker in state history, Madigan finds himself at the center of a federal corruption probe centered on ComEd in which 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. Though no charges have been levied against the Illinois Democratic Party chairman, 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.

While Morrison has called for Madigan’s ouster before, he’s also come not to expect much help from Democrats in getting the job done.

“So, many of them are in fear of stepping out of line and crossing the speaker,” he said. “The question is, do these representatives truly represent their residents' best interests or is it their own seat they're more concerned about?”

Morrison concedes that all speaks to Madigan having arguably emerged as the most powerful man in the state given his nearly four decades in power, much of which he thinks has come at the power expense of residents and taxpayers.

“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 have serious consequences on our day-to-day lives and livelihoods.”