West Cook News

Long-embattled and now former state House Speaker Michael Madigan, indicted earlier this month on federal corruption charges, sold out the public's trust, state Sen. John Curran (R-Downers Grove) said in a news release.

Though corruption is something of an Illinois tradition, it shouldn't be that way, Curran said in his news release issued the day after the indictment against Madigan came down.

Michael Madigan | twitter.com/speaker_madigan

The indictment "is an important reminder that no elected official is considered above the law and that state government should belong to the people and it should not be for sale," Curran said. "Those who would betray the public trust have no place in public service at any level."

Curran's news release included a link to the 106-page 22-count indictment handed down by a special federal grand jury in Chicago and announced in a U.S. Department of Justice news release issued Wednesday, March 2.

"This lengthy indictment is a good step, but there is a great deal of work that still needs to be done," Curran said. "We must empower our state and local law enforcement officials with the same investigative tools that federal authorities possess, to further root out public corruption in all forms and at all levels of government in this state. Only then will we be on a path to regaining the public trust that has been eroded through years of self-dealing and self-interest."

Curran's comments came on the heels of Madigan's indictment by the DOJ on charges of federal racketeering and bribery. Madigan is alleged to have used his position as House Speaker "to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates," DOJ's news release said.

Madigan is accused "of leading for nearly a decade a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance Madigan's political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his political allies and associates," the news release said.

In addition to racketeering and conspiracy, Madigan faces individual counts of using interstate facilities to carry out bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion.

The news release also noted that Madigan, during his decades as House speaker, also represented Illinois' 22nd District, was a Chicago's 13th Ward committeeman, chaired both the Illinois Democrat Party and the 13th Ward's Democrat organization, and was a partner at the Chicago law firm of Madigan & Getzendanner.

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

Pope said Democrats blocked an earlier ethics reform package she had requested in favor of what Pritzker ended up signing.

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.

Curran has represented Illinois' Senate District 41 since he was appointed to the seat in July 2017 following the resignation of his predecessor, then-Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno. He previously was vice-chairman of the DuPage County Board and was a board member from 2008 to 2017. In 2018, he won a full term in the Senate during that year's General Election, taking more than half the vote to fend off his Democratic challenger, now former Western Springs Village Clerk Bridget Fitzgerald

The 41st district includes all or parts of Lemont, Indian Head Park, LaGrange Western Springs, Homer Glen, Burr Ridge, Darien, Downers Grove, Lisle, Willowbrook, Woodridge, Naperville and Bolingbrook.