SOUTHERN ILLINOIS – The Southern Illinois Republican House delegation, made up of State Representative Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton), and Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) issued the following joint statement in the wake of four major indictments in an ongoing current investigation into a widespread bribery scheme involving the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Commonwealth Edison.
“The indictment of Mike McClain by the federal government is the biggest one so far in the investigation into systemic and widespread corruption in Illinois State government. From arrests of Democratic elected officials Luis Arroyo and Martin Sandoval, to the raids, indictments, and pending investigations into others involved, the indictments handed down yesterday prove once again the need for major ethics reform to move through the legislature.
We are also united in our belief that Speaker Madigan should resign his posts as Speaker of the House and indeed from the Illinois House of Representatives. Mike McClain was Mike Madigan’s fixer in Springfield for decades. The level of abuse of power laid out in the deferred prosecution agreement and then once again in yesterday’s indictments is stunning.
Mike Madigan didn’t get to the top of the power structure in the State of Illinois by himself. He has had plenty of help from enablers, benefactors, and beneficiaries of all kinds along the way. Those who have continuously voted for him for Speaker of the House, those who still support him for Speaker, and those that are choosing to remain silent on the sidelines can all take credit for any continuation of the culture of corruption in this state from this day forward.
There is a standing committee in the House called the Special Investigating Committee. We believe it is time for the Committee’s chairman, State Rep. Chris Welch and his Democratic colleagues on the Committee to recognize that the people of Illinois, top Democrats, and yes, the Federal government deserve answers from Speaker Madigan regarding the rampant corruption that has taken place under the capitol dome throughout his tenure.
The committee should reconvene its meetings and investigation immediately. The people of Illinois deserve clean, honest, trustworthy government. We are committed to restoring those principles.
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