Lake County Gazette

Onetime candidate for State Senate Chris Kasperski says while former House Speaker Mike Madigan losing the speakership was bound to happen, his resignation was underwhelming.

“I found Madigan's resignation to be underwhelming, considering how long we have waited for that day to come,” Kasperski said in an interview with Lake County Gazette.”I think his loss of the Speaker's gavel was bound to happen, and after the explosive ComEd scandal that has surrounded him and his closest allies, I was surprised that so many Democrats stood behind him regardless.”

Kasperski said his own representative, Joyce Mason, cast her support behind Madigan after he bankrolled her vulnerable reelection campaign.

“This brings up the metaphorical donkey in the room: Madigan remains the Illinois Democratic Party Chairman, thus maintaining enormous power,” Kasperski said. “To their credit, more Democrats stood up to Madigan than ever before, but as long as he controls the purse strings, he will retain much of the power that he has long held.”

Kasperski said he isn’t sure about the new speaker.

“As far as the new Speaker of the House, I wonder if he will continue his predecessor's legacy of driving Illinois off a fiscal cliff,” Kasperski said. “I at least have solace that we have someone, anyone, other than the one man who has held power throughout my entire life.”

Madigan resigned last week, which will be effective at the end of the month.

"It's no secret that I have been the target of vicious attacks by people who sought to diminish my many achievements lifting up the working people of Illinois," Madigan said in his resignation letter, 7ABC reported. "The fact is, my motivation for holding elected office has never wavered. I have been resolute in my dedication to public service and integrity, always acting in the interest of the people of Illinois.” 

Madigan was replaced last month by Rep. Chris Welch as the speaker. He has been in the state legislature for 50 years and was House Speaker for more than 35 years.

Madigan will have the ability to handpick his successor, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. He holds 56 percent of the weighted vote when it comes to who replaces him, while Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd), who is a close ally of Madigan’s, holds 31 percent of the weighted vote.