Carbondale Reporter

The southern Illinois Republican House delegation is calling for significant ethical reform in Illinois State government and for longtime Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) to resign.

The delegation, made up of Illinois State Representatives Dave Severin (R-Benton), Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis), issued a joint statement Thursday, Nov. 19 highlighting their growing frustration concerning how widespread, and deep the level of corruption has proven to be in Illinois State government. 

“The indictment of Mike McClain by the federal government is the biggest one so far in the investigation into systemic and widespread corruption in Illinois state government,” the statement said. 

Illinois State House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) | Stock Photo

The federal corruption probe into Madigan and Commonwealth Edison (ComeEd) for alleged lobbyist bribery has resulted in multiple arrests, indictments, raids and pending investigations of other government officials possibly involved. 

The delegation believes that Madigan, “didn’t get to the top of the power structure in the state of Illinois by himself,” as he has received numerous help from benefactors, enablers and beneficiaries along the way. 

“Mike McClain was Mike Madigan’s fixer in Springfield for decades," the delegation said. McClain is a former Quincy lawmaker and lobbyist. He is also a close confidant of Madigan.

“From arrests of Democratic elected officials Luis Arroyo and Martin Sandoval, to the raids, indictments, and pending investigations into others involved, the indictments handed down yesterday prove once again the need for major ethics reform to move through the Legislature," the statement said. 

“We are also united in our belief that Speaker Madigan should resign his posts as speaker of the House and indeed from the Illinois House of Representatives,” the release said. 

The delegation said they want the Special Investigating Committee, a standing committee in the House, to move against Madigan.

“We believe it is time for the committee’s chairman, state Rep. Chris Welch and his Democratic colleagues on the committee to recognize that the people of Illinois, top Democrats, and yes, the federal government deserve answers from Speaker Madigan regarding the rampant corruption that has taken place under the capitol dome throughout his tenure,” the release states. 

“The committee should reconvene its meetings and investigation immediately. The people of Illinois deserve a clean, honest, trustworthy government. We are committed to restoring those principles," the delegation said. 

Madigan has not been charged and continues to deny any wrongdoing related to the investigation.