Will County Gazette

A Will County board member called the new House speaker a "little Mike Madigan."

Raquel Mitchell's comments come after the Illinois House elected Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) as the speaker instead of now-former Rep. Mike Madigan in January.

"As great as to see him go is, I just wish that he wasn't being replaced by a little Mike Madigan," Mitchell told the Will County Gazette about Welch being installed as his replacement. "I don't foresee anything being different any time soon, and we need leaders that are committed to doing the right thing for the people of the state."

After running the House for nearly four decades, Madigan abruptly resigned from his District 22 House seat and as the chair of the Illinois Democratic Party.

Madigan's 50-year legislative career ends as he faces potential legal issues from federal Department of Justice investigators.

The department has been investigating an alleged pay-to-play scheme that reportedly involves ComEd and links to Madigan. ComEd was fined $200 million by authorities but did not admit any wrongdoing. Madigan has not been charged and maintains his innocence. Four individuals with known ties to him have already been indicted.

Mitchell said she still finds it hard to believe that Madigan would quietly walk away.

"Sometimes I wonder if it's all real," she said. "But, you don't have to be in power to still be in power. Sometimes it's better to be in the background, and I don't put anything past democrats in this state."

Since Welch took over, Mitchell said all she's seen is more of the same.

"I see what they're doing with the proposed school changes and the crime bill, and it's just hurting people more," she said. "Democrats don't care about the people of this state. It's all about their ideology and their power. Nothing will ever change until we deal with the real problems of this state."