Will County Gazette

State Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) commented on the indictment of former Speaker of the House Michael Madigan.

On March 2, Madigan was indicted for federal racketeering and bribery charges, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. 

"Today may be the darkest day in Illinois government history," Durkin said at a press conference following the indictment. "This 22-count federal indictment against former Democrat Speaker Michael Madigan is the beginning of the power cleaning so desperately needed in Illinois government."

The indictment includes charges of racketeering conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion. 

"This indictment is the most sweeping pubic corruption charge and case to hit Illinois in decades," Durkin said. "The depth of corruption that's alleged in the indictment is truly breathtaking. But this is not just an indictment against Michael Madigan, but an indictment against the Democratic Party of Illinois that he ran for decades."

Madigan has been accused of using his position to increase his own political power while increasing wealth for himself and his political allies.

"Today, you will hear from many House Democrats who spent years benefitting from Mike Madigan's power and spoke out only when it was politically advantageous," Durkin said. "Be wary of them. Also remember that as our caucus pushed forward for answers, and as we pushed forward for the truth at the special investigation committee, we were stymied at every turn by those who would rather protect Mike Madigan than reform our state." 

Durkin called on Illinois residents to voice their opinion at the voting booth next November.

"Let me just tell the public this: next November, the citizens of our state will have a real option to change the course of our state," Durkin said. "Send that message to the Democrats holding seats who run the state at the voting booth."

Illinois legislators passed an ethics reform bill last year which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed in October, according to Illinois Policy. The Legislative Inspector General at the time, Carol Pope, announced her resignation in response.

ABC 20 News reported that in her letter of resignation, Pope called the office of LIG a "paper tiger" and said that the ethics reform bill did not go far enough, and actually tied her hands more than they had been before. Pope told ABC, "I'm thinking that the legislature knows the limitations of the power of the LIG and that they want it that way. That's why I said I am a paper tiger. There are no real teeth to this legislation the way it is now."

Illinois has a history of corruption in high places. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and convicted of multiple corruption charges. He served nearly eight years in prison. Former Gov. George Ryan was convicted of racketeering and served five years in prison. Former U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski was  convicted of corruption and served 17 months in prison.