House Republican Conference Chairman Ryan Spain, one of three petitioners to file a Special Investigating Committee Petition to investigate Michael J. Madigan in a process that has been utilized in the past as the first step in removing legislators from the Illinois House, had harsh words for Democrats after they killed the committee after only having taken testimony from one witness who provided staggering evidence of a decades long corruption scheme directed by Speaker Michael Madigan.
“The behavior of House Democrats in covering up the largest case of government corruption in our nation’s history against the longest serving House Speaker in our nation’s history is reprehensible,” Representative Spain stated. “In protecting Speaker Madigan by shutting down this investigation, despite the fact Madigan does not have the votes to again be elected Speaker, House Democrats have effectively shut down the state legislature including its oversight functions. Democrats decried the government shutdown during the Rauner Administration but have created a shutdown of their own to extend Madigan’s corruption and prevent a peaceful transition of power to the next Speaker of the Illinois House. It is shameful.”
The Illinois House has not met in Session since May, over six months ago. Despite the global pandemic, even the US Congress has been meeting regularly with safety protocols in place.