(PatrioticPost.com)- Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the longest-serving House speaker in the United States, resigned on Thursday as he undergoes a federal investigation into bribery.
Another scandal-ridden Democrat bites the dust…
Some 50 years after Madigan was first sworn into the Illinois House of Representatives, 78-year-old Madigan announced his resignation in a statement, hitting out at his critics and defending his record during his 36 years as House Speaker.
“It’s no secret that I have been the target of vicious attacks by people who sought to diminish my many achievements lifting up the working people of Illinois,” he said. “The fact is, my motivation for holding elected office has never wavered. I have been resolute in my dedication to public service and integrity, always acting in the interest of the people of Illinois.”
Madigan’s resignation was widely expected after he became implicated in a federal investigation into ties between Commonwealth Edison, the biggest utility provider in Illinois, and a number of high-ranking Democrats in the state. Reports revealed that the utility form gave $1.32 million in perks to leading Democrats in exchange for Madigan’s approval of bills in the state legislature that benefitted the company.
In January, Madigan finally lost his Speaker position after his colleagues voted against him.
Michael McClain, an associate of Madigan, as well as Anne Pramaggiore, the CEO of ComEd, were charged in November for their alleged involvement in the bribery scheme. McClain previously served in the state House in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving politics to become a lobbyist for ComEd.
Madigan has yet to face criminal charges and has retained his position as the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party.
In his statement, Madigan described how he was proud of his efforts to work with the state’s private sector.
“Collaborating with leaders in the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, health care, and other industries, we built a partnership with job creators to encourage economic development and address crises in our unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems,” he said.
Incredibly, these aren’t the only high-ranking Democrats in Illinois to become entangled in various investigations and criminal activities.
Federal prosecutors recently charged Illinois state Senator Thomas Cullerton for his involvement in an embezzlement scheme related to a labor union, and state Representative Luis Arroyo was also charged over a bribery scheme.
Governor J.B. Pritzker, who was an ally of Madigan, is facing an investigation into an alleged scheme that involved removing toilets from his private mansion so that the building would technically be considered uninhabitable, allowing him to claim a tax break worth $331,000.
At this rate, there will be no Illinois Democrats left outside of prison!
