Lake County Gazette

Illinois House candidate and Ela Township Trustee Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) knows what his priority would be if he were already serving in Springfield.

“I would absolutely be calling for the removal of Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) as House Speaker,” Bos told the Lake County Gazette. “With all the corruption probes in Springfield, there is definitely enough out there against him already. It would be in his best interest and the best interest of the city to clear the way moving forward.”

Bos, who is running against state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) in the 51st District, would not be alone in his crusade. A group of four GOP legislators recently held a press conference to demand that Madigan step down in the wake of a growing number of corruption scandals. 

Ela Township Trustee and Illinois House candidate Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich)

Still other Republican lawmakers have called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to immediately convene a special session of the legislature to confront the issue.

“I would hope that Pritzker would put partisan politics aside and see that we have a corruption issue we have to deal with," Bos said. "The state cannot move forward with [the current level of corruption].”

As dire as the situation is, Bos says he is not surprised that Edly-Allen has not stepped forward to offer a solution.

“She was given $1 million by Madigan for her campaign and later tens of thousands more, and her first vote was to [reelect] him as Speaker,” Bos said of his opponent. “She’s right in line with accepting benefits from all the corruption.”

Over the last several weeks alone, at least two veteran lawmakers have been forced to step down from office after being implicated bribery and kickback scandals.

“We need to be educating voters about all the illegal money that’s flowing through state government,” said Bos, also a pastor at Alpine Chapel in Lake Zurich. “The reason so many stay in power as long as they do in Springfield is because of all the money tied to be elected. People standing up to say ‘no more’ would be a huge step.”

Bos, who has also served as an Ela Township Precinct Committeeman, resides in Lake Zurich with his wife and three children.