A fundraiser for former House Speaker Michael Madigan is assisting ShawnTe Raines-Welch — the wife of Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch (D-Hillside) — in her run for judge just after Welch was accused of releasing talking points in defense of Madigan.
“The speaker supports and encourages ShawnTe’s decision to run for the fourth subcircuit judicial seat,” Raines-Welch spokesman David Ormsby told the Chicago Sun-Times. “In fact, he signed her petition and is encouraging others to do the same.”
Raines-Welch is vying for one of two judgeships that overlap Welch’s legislative district and are up for election. The judicial district covers the south, west and northwest suburbs of Cook County.
Michael Del Galdo, a municipal lawyer who represents the town of Cicero, is actively involved in Raines-Welch’s campaign. Del Galdo raised campaign funds for Madigan before the speaker resigned last year amid an ongoing federal investigation over claims of political misconduct. Del Galdo is also said to be a friend of Madigan’s son, Andrew. The younger Madigan is an insurance broker for Alliant, a corporation specializing in providing municipal insurance in the southwest suburbs. Federal officials have visited Alliant as part of the investigation into the elder Madigan.
In the wake of Madigan’s indictment, Welch’s office released and then retracted a talking points memo in which one statement guided the Democrats to “call into question certain aspects of the investigation process regarding Speaker Madigan’s case,” CapitolFax.com reported.
When Madigan resigned last year, Welch was elected House Speaker — handpicked by Madigan. He was accused of protecting then-Speaker Madigan from the probe looking into the ComEd bribery scandal, which Welch chaired, and then closed in 2020. Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) criticized Welch for blocking a vote during the investigation.
“You’re going through excruciating lengths to protect Michael J. Madigan from ever having to testify to his nefarious behavior,” Wehrli told Welch, wgntv.com reported.
Madigan is facing a 22-count federal indictment on charges of bribery and racketeering.
