Emerging as big-money players in the perpetual Mike Madigan Machine are businessman Chris Kennedy, son of the late U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, and attorney, entrepreneur and philanthropist J.B. Pritzker, according to recently released financial data.
The Illinois Republican Party launched a robocall linking venture capitalist and possible gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker with House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) and imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Following an election year rife with accusations aimed at the “Madigan Machine” and other factions in Springfield, Chicago Sun-Times writer Mark Brown said recently that the time for term limits may have arrived in Illinois.
The Illinois Republican Party launched a website on the same day House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) again skipped a meeting with Gov. Bruce Rauner and legislative leaders in Springfield.
As the clock ticks down toward the new year, budget talks remain at an impasse in Illinois and the stopgap budget will expire on Dec. 31.
State Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Villa Park) has reason to acquiesce to House Speaker Mike Madigan’s influence, the Illinois GOP suggested recently, because he “funneled over $1.2 million into (her) campaign accounts,” the party said via its BossMadigan.com website.
“If America is two countries, Illinois is two states,” the Peoria Journal Star said recently in an editorial, censuring House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and attributing the state’s “abysmal” financial status to continued ineptitude and duplicity in the General Assembly.
The recent election dropped Democrats out of the supermajority in the state House as Republicans gained four seats there, in addition to two seats in the state Senate.
Republican candidate Heidi Holan places blame for budget woes on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-22nd Dist.).