Sangamon Sun

Veteran state Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield) shudders to think of what the state's General Assembly has become under the longtime rule of Democratic lawmakers.

“It’s only about power and self-preservation,” McClure told the Sangamon Sun. “You look at the way Democrats have reacted to Speaker Mike Madigan being implicated in a corruption probe vs. former Sen. Martin Sandoval when he was under investigation. When his office was raided, everyone from Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker down to all the members called for him to go. With the speaker, the outrage hasn’t been nearly as loud."

After nearly four decades of being in control in Springfield, Madigan now finds himself at the center of an unfolding federal corruption probe involving ComEd. Federal prosecutors contend the company engaged in a “years-long bribery scheme” involving jobs, contracts and payments that were steered to him in his role as house speaker and chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.

To date, no charges have been filed against the state’s longest-serving lawmaker, but prosecutors have not been shy in asserting that the utility giant sought to “influence and reward” Madigan by providing financial benefits to those directly tied to him.

“He’s a very powerful person and has been for a long, long time and because of that people look the other way when it comes to the things he does,” McClure added. “When you’ve got someone like that, it takes a lot of courage to speak out against him.”

Even as the scrutiny and pressure mounts, McClure said he doesn’t expect to see Madigan change much about his approach.  

“I think he’s going to stick around and see what happens,” he said. “Republicans have been calling for ethics reform for months and nothing. I think that says a lot about what the people in charge really think and how Speaker Madigan may think he can survive all this by just waiting it out.”