Carbondale Reporter

Michael Madigan, the now-former speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, has abruptly resigned from the House, giving Rep. Dave Severin a chance to voice his opposition toward state democrats.

Governor J.B. Pritzker said Madigan will be “held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“House Democrats’ refusal to enact real ethics reform in Illinois only further erodes public trust in our state government,” Severin wrote on Facebook. “One of the many anti-corruption bills killed by the majority party was House Bill 719, legislation that would prevent lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for two years after they leave office.”

Severin is vocal about his disdain towards Madigan.

“Speaker Madigan ran the House of Representatives with an iron fist,” he said to KFVS 12. “It is my hope that Madigan’s indictment on racketeering and bribery charges today will mean the people of the State of Illinois will be able to exact some measure of justice for the culture of corruption he fostered as the most powerful politician in the history of the State of Illinois, and that all those politicians that enabled his reign to continue under a swirling dark cloud would join me in demanding Madigan be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Madigan was indicted on federal racketeering and bribery charges - and that indictment was 22 counts. Racketeering charges are more commonly associated with organized crime. 

The indictment alleges that Madigan was the leader of a criminal enterprise meant to give him more political power and financial stability while making money for his political allies. 

According to the press release, Madigan served in a variety of positions, including speaker, representative of Illinois’s 22nd District, committeeman for Chicago’s 13th Ward, chairman of both the Illinois Democratic Party and the 13th Ward Democratic Organization, and partner at the Chicago law firm of Madigan & Getzendanner, and used those positions to further the criminal enterprise.

The bill Severin referenced, 719, would have stopped legislators from lobbying with members of the General Assembly for two years following their exit from the legislature.

Madigan resigned as House speaker in February 2021 after 50 years in the Illinois House of Representatives. At the time that Madigan left the legislature, there was an ongoing probe of bribery and Commonwealth Edison. He had not been charged at that point.