Republican state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Westmont) isn’t sure how much should be expected to change in Springfield now that Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) no longer running the House.
“Going forward, we will continue to stay vigilant, and as with anything involving Illinois government, hope for the best while preparing for the worst,” Mazzochi told the Illinois Valley Times.
After nearly four decades of Madigan’s control, lawmakers banded together on Jan. 13 to finally put an end to his rule, installing state Rep. Emmanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) as his successor.
Pressure increased on Madigan to step aside after being allegedly connected to an ongoing federal corruption investigation involving pay-to-play and ComEd, the state’s largest utility company. Federal authorities fined ComEd $200 million. Madigan has denied any involvement and has not been charged. The U.S. Justice Department is leading the investigation.
A special House Committee was also recently convened to look into his alleged role in the scheme, with expulsion from the House being among the penalties he could have faced.
“I only wish that now-Speaker Welch did not have his own troubling background coming into this role that requires the people of Illinois to watch the new Speaker just as closely as the last,” Mazzochi said. “Members of his own party expressed doubts that he was properly vetted before being elevated to this role. Welch chaired the Special Investigation Committee into Madigan only to squelch it. It is not unreasonable to think Madigan threw his support behind Welch as payback for Welch ending the investigation.”
Mazzochi also noted Welch has a history of patronage hiring and has been accused in a police report of physically attacking an ex-girlfriend and making payoffs to quiet sexual harassment and retaliation claims made against him. No wrongdoing has been found by authorities against Welch.
In her opinion, she wonders if anything can be as bad as the Madigan era.
“His 50 years of Illinois politics has resulted in a state that has fallen into debt and disrepair,” she said. “Illinois Republicans have spent years raising awareness of the damage he has done.”
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