SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) says today’s ten guilty verdicts returned against former longtime Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan underscores an urgent need for Illinois to clean up corruption and pass sweeping ethics reforms.
“Arrests, indictments, prison sentences, governors in prison, Chicago Alderman busted for bribery, the list goes on,” Windhorst said. “Now, we have the longest-serving House Speaker in Illinois history found guilty by a jury of his peers for public corruption, bribery, and wire fraud.”
“Hopefully, this guilty verdict will be the wake-up call House Democrats will actually pay attention to and finally move on badly-needed ethics and corruption reforms. We must end the revolving door that sees lawmakers turn into lobbyists, we must empower the legislative inspector general to have subpoena power, and we must work together as a General Assembly to enact strong anti-corruption policies that may once and for all restore the faith of our citizens in their state government. Inaction on this topic is now inexcusable. It’s time to get to work.”
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