Lake County Gazette

Newly-elected state Rep. Martin McLaughlin (R-Barrington Hills) believes longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) owes a public account on the situation concerning the federal inversitage into his involvement of a bridardy scheme.

“He owes the voters of Illinois an explanation for his actions with ComEd,” McLaughlin told the Lake County Gazette. “The way I see it the only question is whether he gives them before the House or before a federal court judge, but we’re all eagerly waiting to hear what he has to say.”

McLaughlin conceded no one can really say when that might happen after the Special House committee empaneled earlier this year to look into some of Madigan’s most suspect behavior abruptly reconvenes after hearing from just one witness and not issuing a subpoena requiring the Speaker to appear.

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) | File Photo

The state’s longest tenured lawmaker finds himself at the center of a still unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme where all the perks were allegedly steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation.

At the committee hearing, members of the six-person panel spent most of the time in the first gathering they’d engaged in since September sparing over process before arriving at a deadlocked vote that played out completely along party lines.

McLaughlin, who knocked off Democrat Marci Suelzer with 54% of the vote in the 52nd District, argues the fact that Madigan would go to such great lengths to keep silent tells you everything you need to know.

“After all these years, why would he be afraid to answer any questions if everything was on the up and up,” McLaughlin said. “He owes the voters these answers and the fact that he’s avoiding the situation only creates more questions about what’s behind the allegations and other things.”