Top Republican asking for Gov. to step into Madigan investigation

Posted on October 8, 2020
House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago). (Photo courtesy: WikiMedia/Illinoislawmakers)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – The top Republican in the Illinois House wants the governor to step into the investigation of Commonwealth Edison and House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

Com Ed has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement under which it is to pay $200 million to the federal government and cooperate with the investigation into bribery at the top levels of the Com Ed executive chain. The utility admitted trying to bribe the speaker into steering legislation its way, but Madigan has denied all wrongdoing.

What’s more, Madigan refuses to appear before the committee, whose chairman, State Rep. Chris Welch (D-Hillside), refuses to issue subpoenas.

Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) says Welch is obviously in the bag for Madigan and wants Gov. JB Pritzker to force Madigan to either testify or resign.

Durkin said that other than the agreement making 72 references to Madigan as “Public Official A,” he is unaware of any name-calling during the proceedings. He may have missed the committee’s Republican members’ news conference two days before, in which State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) called Welch a “coward” and “Chairman Squelch.”

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

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