North Egypt News

Karen Tucker wasn’t surprised to see Democrats on a Special House committee quickly move to shield House Speaker Mike Madigan in a probe focused on delving into some of his most suspect behavior.

“This is what corruption looks like,” Tucker told the North Egypt News. “The so-called investigation was always just a show and the Democratic members did what their boss expected of them.”

The six-member bipartisan panel recently pulled the plug on proceedings after hearing from just one witness and not issuing a subpoena demanding that Madigan appear before the committee. In their first gathering since September, members spent most of their time sparring over process before arriving at a deadlocked vote that completely played out along party lines.

“I can’t say that I’m surprised,” Tucker added. “People like him always seem to find a way to get away with everything.”

Tucker said she fears things may be the same way in the ongoing federal corruption probe Madigan now finds himself at the center of. The state’s longest-tenured lawmaker is suspected of being involved in a pay-for-play scheme involving ComEd where all the perks were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation.

“I’m pretty confident he’ll skate there, too,” Tucker added. “It’s extremely frustrating to think we have a two-layered criminal justice system where the rich and powerful pay nothing while everyone has no choice.”

While committee  chair Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) blasted the hearing as a “political show trial” and a “sham,” Tucker countered the real show was the way Democrats were willing to go to any lengths to protect the Democrat Party chairman.

“It all comes at a cost because his still being in power is not good for Illinois,” she said. “We’re destined to be in the same awful state we’ve been stuck in for years. I don’t know how much longer we can keep any of it up.”