Dupage Policy Journal

Veteran Illinois state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) argues the verdict is already in on the question of what the House Special Investigating Committee needs to do next. The special committee has been convened to look into embattled House Speaker Mike Madigan’s role in an ongoing federal corruption scandal involving ComEd..

“It could not be more clear that if the House of Representatives is to re-earn any public’s trust whatsoever, then we need to promptly return to conducting a thorough investigation of the Speaker and his associates inside and outside of government and their collective involvement in this scandal,” said Mazzochi, a member of the six member bipartisan panel. 

The state’s longest tenured lawmaker, Madigan is seen as a central figure in the pay-for-play scheme involving the utility giant where all the perks were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation. As the criminal probe is still unfolding, the panel was convened to determine if any of Madigan’s actions warrant discipline by the legislature up to possible expulsion.

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan | File Photo

“If Speaker Madigan is as innocent as he proclaims, he should be eager for us to continue our work and not try to run the clock out on our investigation...This is not a criminal investigating committee, it is a committee to determine whether the Speaker engaged in conduct unbecoming a legislator, of the very legislative body he leads," said Mazzochi.

As controversy has swirled around Madigan and in Springfield, as many as 18 democratic lawmakers have now stepped forward to insist they have no intentions of supporting his reelection efforts as House Speaker.  More recently, four individuals with close ties to him were indicted in connection with the scheme, including longtime pal and local lobbyist Michael McClain, who counts bribery among the charges he faces.

“Speaker Madigan’s defense literally insists that we believe that his closest confidant, without his knowledge, duped the CEO and other members of a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate,” said Mazzochi, “While implausible well beyond any reasonable imagination, it is not impossible, but reaching this hard to conceive conclusion could only occur if this committee is allowed to do its work.”