Michael Madigan needed to step away from public life years ago. But being named as “Public Official A” in an FBI investigation in which ComEd has pleaded guilty to trading jobs for favorable laws must be the last straw.
For over a year, a series of FBI arrests, subpoenas, and office raids has worked its way up the ladder of Madigan’s inner circle.
In late July, it all came crashing down. The FBI alleges that ComEd gave Madigan allies high-paying jobs for the ability to hit Illinoisans with higher bills. Investigators also say that Madigan’s camp pressured the CEO of ComEd to appoint an ally onto the corporate board of the company.
This is an utter betrayal of the public trust. It is an unfortunate reminder that corruption and pay-to-play politics have been woven into the fabric of Illinois politics for too long. From the imprisonments of Republican Governor George Ryan and Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich to the feds knocking on Mike Madigan’s door, the line must be drawn here.
The response from all Democrats must be swift and decisive.
After all, we face an existential crisis on almost every front: in our criminal justice system, our climate, our education systems, and our healthcare.
We are living in an unprecedented moment of societal unrest, triggered by a global pandemic, historic civil rights protests, and a president who appears poised to violate the Constitution this November.
And our society’s massive economic inequality threatens to crush the folks at the bottom while the most wealthy reap the rewards. And the economic effects of COVID-19 are just beginning to be felt.
Are we supposed to tolerate a man who gave massive corporations yet another leg up through bribery? While Illinoisans suffer massive unemployment and yet unknown social service shortfalls across the state?
We cannot afford a single unnecessary barrier in our path to make Illinois an equitable place to live.
Leader Madigan is not a man who surrenders without a fight. Neither is he a man who cares about progressive solutions. He walks hand in hand with the richest people in Illinois and he controls millions of dollars in his campaign accounts.
But waiting for him to step down after the November elections is too late. It ignores the moral imperative that Democrats show their party is determined to root out corruption wherever it exists. And it ignores the political imperative of ensuring that the Fair Tax and a host of suburban legislators are not punished this November by voters for the misdeeds of the Speaker.
Mike Madigan has stood in the way of progressive change. He has held the Democratic Party back. And he has the Federal Bureau of Investigations on his doorstep.
The time has come. For state and party, Speaker Madigan must resign immediately.
While The Voice of Freeport is one small publication centered in a county Speaker Madigan has likely never stepped foot in, we urge all of our readers to join the growing chorus of voices calling on the Speaker to step down.
