North Egypt News

Franklin County Republican activist Karen Tucker wants to know why more Democratic lawmakers aren’t demanding greater accountability from House Speaker Mike Madigan.

“A few of them have shown enough moxie to say something, but not nearly enough of them for what he is accused of having done,” Tucker told the North Egypt News. “Springfield is corrupt to the core and many of us have heard these same stories for what seems like forever.”

After nearly four decades of being in control in Springfield, Madigan now finds himself at the center of an unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd. Federal prosecutors contend the company engaged in a “years-long bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments that were steered to him in his role as house speaker and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.

To date, no charges have been filed against the state’s longest-serving lawmaker, but prosecutors have not been shy in asserting that the utility giant sought to “influence and reward” Madigan by providing financial benefits to those directly tied to him.

“Whatever he wants he always seems to get,” Tucker added. “He’s like the king of Illinois and everyone else is just here for the ride. For a lot of people, I think that’s what it comes down to, there just afraid of him and he knows it. Even the governors get nowhere with him.”

Even as scrutiny and pressure mounts, Tucker said she doesn’t expect to see Madigan change much about the way he operates.

“At the very least, I think he will try to hold out until after the election,” she said. “If investigators come out with something blatant enough that even he can’t dispute it, he might ultimately be pushed out, but I really don’t see anything happening before the election.”