Darren Bailey: Madigan Reports to Prison — Time for Real Ethics Reform in Illinois; McCombie Also Comments

SPRINGFIELD — Today marks a moment many Illinoisans have waited years for: former House Speaker Michael J. Madigan reports to federal prison which is a reminder of the need for meaningful ethics reform in Illinois, according to Darren Bailey, candidate for Governor.

For decades, Madigan symbolized everything wrong with Illinois politics — backroom deals, insider favors, and pay-to-play corruption that robbed hardworking families of trust in their government.

His conviction should serve as a wake-up call for every elected official in this state. But instead of leading the charge for reform, Governor JB Pritzker stayed silent for months while Madigan’s criminal enterprise unraveled. It wasn’t until November 2020, after mounting public outrage, that Pritzker finally called for Madigan’s resignation — long after federal prosecutors exposed the bribery scheme surrounding his closest allies.

Even when allegations of sexual harassment emerged in Madigan’s office, Pritzker refused to demand accountability. His reluctance to speak up shows exactly why Illinois continues to rank among the most corrupt states in America: too many politicians are willing to look the other way when it benefits them.

Darren Bailey is issuing the following statement:

“Michael Madigan may be gone, but the culture of corruption enabling his reign of terror is very much alive and well in Springfield. If we’re serious about cleaning up this mess, we need real ethics reform, and we need it now.

"This means empowering a legislative inspector general to be truly independent. It means ending the revolving door of former legislators lobbying the very people they once served with in the Legislature. It means beefing up the economic impact statements to be more transparent. It means limiting the amount of money state contractors can contribute to legislators and statewide office holders. The Madigan saga is a reminder that the job of real ethics reform is far from over. It is time to get serious about rooting out corruption once and for all in the Land of Lincoln. Public service should never be a stepping stone to personal profit.”

"Illinois deserves leaders who will confront corruption head-on, not cover for it. The people of this state deserve transparency, accountability, and a government that serves them — not the insiders who have gotten rich off the system for decades."

McCombie Says: It’s A Grim Day for Illinois

Below is a statement from House Minority Leader Tony McCombie concerning former Speaker Mike Madigan reporting to federal prison today:

“Today marks another painful chapter in Illinois’ long and troubling history of public corruption. Each scandal chips away at the public’s trust and further erodes confidence in our state government.

“What’s most disappointing is the silence from so many in the majority party, lawmakers either unwilling to condemn this behavior or unwilling to take real action to prevent it from happening again. Their inaction speaks volumes.

“Illinois can’t afford to keep repeating this cycle of scandal and shame. Meaningful ethics reform could be passed tomorrow, if only Democratic leaders would find the courage to join us in restoring integrity and trust in state government.”

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