Dupage Policy Journal

Republican Congressional candidate Jeanne Ives argues the verdict is already in when it comes to longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan.

“To be clear, Madigan should be forced to resign not just because he is implicated in a huge bribery scandal but also because he has driven the state into the ditch economically with the help of his sacred public sector unions and crony corporate leaders like ComEd,” Ives told the DuPage Policy Journal. “I remain shocked Democrats have gotten away with such malfeasance for so long.”

Madigan, who easily reigns as the longest-tenured lawmaker in the state, now finds himself at the center of a still-evolving probe into ComEd, in which prosecutors are on record in asserting that 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.

While stopping short of formally levying any charges, prosecutors contend Commonwealth Edison attempted to “influence and reward” Madigan by providing financial benefits to those directly tied to him.

“This latest fallout from ComEd makes it more important than ever that we have leaders willing to take on corruption and abuse in our government,” added Ives, who is running against Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove) in the 6th Congressional District. “I opposed these deals when I was a state legislator, but Speaker Madigan has weaved this corruption into the very fabric of our state government.”

In publicly announcing the case against ComEd public, U.S. Attorney John Lausch noted the investigation is ongoing. The Chicago Tribune reports federal investigators have moved to subpoena Madigan for information, including “possible job recommendations.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Madigan said he plans to cooperate with the probe, adding “The speaker has never helped someone find a job with the expectation that the person would not be asked to perform work by their employer, nor did he ever expect to provide anything to a prospective employer if it should choose to hire a person he recommended.”

Ives, who served six years as state representative in the 42nd District, said lawmakers like Casten are part of the problem.

“He has never once called out the leaders of his own party who have taken advantage of hardworking families for far too long,” she said. “You deserve leaders who will stand up to the corruption and drain the swamp here and in Washington. My opponent, lobbyist-turned-Congressman Casten, has proven he is not up to the job. He is hiding as his party loots the taxpayers in Illinois."