House Republicans Force Investigation into Madigan
Following his implication in a wide-ranging bribery charge against Commonwealth Edison, House Republicans have forced a “Special Investigative Committee” against powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago.) Just 60 days before the November election, Democrats claim Republicans are trying to score political points while Republicans seem to fully expect Democrats to provide cover for the embattled Madigan.
The petition to form the committee was filed by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs.)
“Given the facts admitted by ComEd for its nine-year-long scheme to bribe Speaker Madigan, the Illinois House of Representatives must do its job and conduct a thorough investigation,” Durkin says.
Madigan was not charged by the federal government but was labeled “Public Official A” in the settlement with the utility. In that document, the government alleged Madigan signed off on all or parts of ComEd’s legislative requests in exchange for jobs and contracts for friends and legislative supporters.
“If Rep. Durkin wants to question whether legislators should be allowed to make job recommendations, I encourage him to be transparent and disclose all of the jobs he has requested or lobbyists he has recommended over the years,” Madigan said in a fiery statement.
Making his statement equally as political, Madigan turned his attention on President Donald Trump.
“I can’t identify one thing Rep. Durkin and the Illinois Republican Party have done to help Illinois residents struggling from a global pandemic and a weakened economy,” Madigan said. “Rather than focusing on ways to get us out of Donald Trump’s mess, Republicans have spent their time and dollars trying to convince people I am to blame for the type of corruption and unethical conduct Donald Trump emulates every day.”
Madigan’s statement did not make note of a budget his caucus passed in May which counted on billions of dollars in potential funding from Trump and the federal government.
Durkin and House Minority Leader Greg Harris (D-Chicago) will make appointments to the special committee. The committee will be split evenly among party, and it is considered highly unlikely any Democrat would turn on Madigan to recommend a reprimand or impeachment vote. There is also no timetable on if or when the committee will meet, much less before the November 3 election.