Lake County Gazette

Republican state House candidate Chris Bos remarks that Illinois Democrats' reaction to the corruption scandal House Speaker Mike Madigan now finds himself at the center of says everything about the way Springfield operates.

“Their collective silence just goes to show you the hook he has in the party,” Bos, who is now running against incumbent state Rep. Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) in the 51st District, told the Lake County Gazette. “The fact that so few have said anything and the majority that have been careful to use the caveat ‘If’ says it all. The truth is we’ve known for decades how Mike Madigan runs his ship and none of this comes as any great surprise.”

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.

“It’s time for Democrats to stand up and demand an immediate resignation from the speaker for the sake of the state of Illinois,” Bos added.

With this being an election year, Bos concedes he doesn’t expect Democrats, including Madigan, to change anything about their approach to things any time soon.

“At the end of the day, Madigan is the one that writes the checks and most of the lawmakers in his party are beholden to him,” he said. “But I think the voters have finally had enough. We can only hope this leads to the change Illinois residents have wanted for so long.”