SPRINGFIELD – In 2020, House Republican Representatives Ryan Spain, Jim Durkin, and Andrew Chesney launched a special investigation committee to examine then-Speaker Michael Madigan’s involvement in the ComEd bribery scandal. Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch served as chairman, called the process a sham and chose to abruptly end the investigation after hearing from just one witness. Welch now serves as Speaker of the House and was supported in this effort by Rep. Lisa Hernandez, who now serves as Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“We convened and launched an important investigation with substantive work asking for follow-up and investigation into these matters we’ve heard about in detail in the prosecution and now the guilty verdicts which have been delivered this week,” said Rep. Ryan Spain.What was the response from the Democratic legislators that participated in that Investigating Committee? Coverup and sweeping the facts under the rug.”
This week, four of Mike Madigan’s ComEd allies were found guilty of bribery conspiracy in federal court because of their efforts to gain Madigan’s favor while he served as Speaker.
“For too long, we have allowed the poor ethical behavior of people like Mike Madigan, his associates, and others to become the way we do business in the State of Illinois, and unfortunately, the “Madigan Way” is still the way in which our government works here in Springfield. It has to stop now,” said Rep. Ryan Spain.
Nothing has changed since Madigan’s indictment to prevent this type of behavior and nothing will change until the majority party gets serious about ending corruption and reforming the Madigan Rules which govern the House of Representatives.
Emanuel “Chris” Welch is now Madigan’s handpicked successor as Speaker of the Illinois House. Lisa Hernandez is now Chairperson of the Democratic Party of Illinois. “It’s time to throw out the Madigan playbook, pass robust ethics reform measures, and give Illinoisans an honest state government they can believe in,” concluded Spain.