Carbondale Reporter

State Representative Dave Severin has commented on the recent guilty verdicts of former Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan, who was convicted on multiple counts of bribery conspiracy and wire fraud. Severin sees this as a crucial first step in addressing public corruption in Illinois, which he believes has been a longstanding issue.

Severin stated, "Five governors sent to jail, multiple legislators busted for bribery and corruption, and now, the longest ever serving Speaker of the House has been found guilty by a jury of his peers on multiple counts for a decade long conspiracy that saw Madigan using his power to illegally influence companies and land jobs and contracts for his political pals." He expressed gratitude towards the jury for their service and emphasized that efforts to clean up Illinois government should have begun years ago.

Severin also hopes that this verdict will prompt current Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives to pursue ethics and corruption reforms. He urged an end to practices such as lawmakers becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving office, trading jobs for legislative favors, and undermining the Legislative Inspector General. "It’s time to clean up state government so our citizens can have faith in the process," Severin said.

The case against Madigan highlights ongoing concerns about political corruption in Illinois. Severin's comments reflect a call for immediate action to restore integrity within state governance.