Editorial: Committee closes case on Madigan, but the real work is still ahead
Illinois is routinely made the butt of jokes for its craven indifference to the propagation of machine politics. Such jokes are embarrassing to those who work hard to promote a better Illinois. Unfortunately, they also ring true far too often.
Consider the state's House Special Investigating Committee, which this week further proved the point when Democrats orchestrated an end to proceedings involving longtime Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan after holding just three meetings and hearing a grand total of one witness.
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin last summer filed a complaint seeking a finding of conduct unbecoming a legislator against Madigan in light of what federal prosecutors say is Madigan's involvement in a bribery scheme involving ComEd.
State Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch of Hillside, who chairs the House committee, on Monday expressed outrage over the Republicans' attempts to call Madigan to testify in the matter and to have him replaced as speaker.
Welch excoriated the committee's Republican members, saying: "This is nothing but politics. This is nothing but a sham show trial."
Welch was exactly right, of course, but not in the way he intended.
What was a sham was his nakedly partisan move to protect his quarterback at all cost.
Madigan has been speaker for all but two of the past 37 years and has held power longer than anyone in a legislative capacity in the history of the nation. ComEd in July agreed to pay a $200 million fine and cooperate with a federal investigation after the company admitted to giving $1.3 million in no-work jobs and subcontracts to allies of Madigan in exchange for legislative favor.
Madigan has not been charged, and he's proclaimed his innocence.
The federal case is running on its own track. It continues.
The so-called House investigation, however, is on another. And it's been a joke from the start. That it ended without Madigan having to answer for himself is shameful, if not totally expected. The script was written long ago.
This is yet another example of what is wrong with Illinois government, which is based more on consolidating and keeping power and less on serving the people it represents and serves.
To change things in Illinois, Democrats first must take the courageous step to vote Madigan out of power. And then they must agree to reforms in House rules that start breaking down the hermetically-sealed decision-making structure Madigan has enjoyed all these years - so that we don't replace him with someone else who can wield the same unchecked power.