Bill aims to remove Madigan’s likeness from state facilities

[March 05, 2022] By Scot Bertram | The Center Square contributor

 (The Center Square) – Portions of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s legacy could be wiped away under a new proposal.

New legislation sponsored by State Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, would remove Madigan’s name and likeness from state facilities, including the Illinois State Capitol. The measure would apply to photos, inscriptions, statues, and more.

Madigan was recently indicted on 22 federal charges related to racketeering, bribery and attempted extortion. He’s maintained his innocence.

Chesney said there’s no need to wait for a conviction to take action.

“I don't think that there's really any dispute that he was a bad person and his conduct was unbecoming of an elected official,” Chesney said. “And I think for that reason alone – put the criminal implications aside – I think for that reason alone it gives us enough to remove his name.”

In recent years, statues of Stephen Douglas and Pierre Menard have been removed from the Illinois Capitol grounds due to ties with slavery. Chesney said his bill should not necessarily be seen in the same light.
 

“It wasn't like Mike Madigan was fighting for a particular cause that just happened to be wrong, because then you want to make sure that you don't repeat that terrible cause,” Madigan said. “Mike Madigan was just a corrupt dude that enriched himself. It wasn't like he had a philosophical bend that was just inherently flawed. He was just a bad guy that looked to line his own pockets.”

Chesney’s bill has garnered some Republican support, but as of yet no Democrats have signed on as co-sponsors, including none of the 19 House Democrats who helped end Madigan's bid to remain Speaker in 2021.

“Madigan buttered a lot of bread,” Chesney said. “The question is did they send Mike Madigan packing out of political necessity or because it was the right thing to do? And I think it's probably a combination of both.”

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan speaks at a press conference on June 27, 2017.

File image courtesy of BlueRoomStream

In February 2021, after losing the race for Speaker the month before, Madigan announced both his resignation from the House and as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

“If the Democrat party is truly committed to turning the page on corruption and cleansing the state of the stench that seems to keep rearing its head in the state, as it relates to corruption, it's got to be through legislation,” Chesney said.

Chesney said he is open to negotiations on his proposal, including expanding the language to include other politicians in similar situations.

“If we want to expand this to just public corruption, let's do it,” Chesney said. “This isn't a personal attack on a Democrat. If we want to extend this to any public official, I think Republicans need to be fair game as well, because, trust me, we have a few bad actors on our side, too.”

Madigan’s name would remain on all official documents and public records or where otherwise required by law. But the legislation would erase his name from the public inscription at the Capitol listing Speakers of the House.

“Maybe we should put for his tenure ‘Public Official A,’” Chesney said. “Then when people go and they go to look at the wall of Speakers at the Illinois House, they see ‘Public Official A’ and then it’s actually a teachable moment.”

Madigan was listed as “Public Official A” in the ComEd deferred prosecution agreement from the summer of 2020 that laid out a nearly decade-long bribery scheme the utility admitted being part of.

Federal prosecutors say their investigation into “Madigan Enterprise” continues.