The change in Chicago politics is being driven by generational, ideological and demographic shifts, with federal law enforcement and organized labor providing major assists.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s hand-picked successor for the legislative seat he held for a half-century resigned Wednesday, just three days after being appointed and hours after Madigan called
SPRINGFIELD â Michael Madigan may be gone from the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly, but his influence on the political process in Springfield persists.
And the connection between Madigan, a Chicago Democrat and speaker of the Illinois House for 36 of the past 38 years before Emanuel Chris Welch of Hillside took charge of the speaker s gavel last month, could create political problems for Welch, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Senate president, a political observer and campaign-finance expert says.
Madigan s status as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois and his control over state-regulated campaign funds that spent almost $27 million last year on political campaigns, legal fees and related tasks could be used to taint candidates, according to Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Michael Madigan may be gone from the Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly, but his influence on the political process in Springfield persists.
And the connection between Madigan, a Chicago Democrat and speaker of the Illinois House for 36 of the past 38 years before Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside took charge of the speaker’s gavel last month, could create political problems for Welch, Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Senate president, a political observer and campaign-finance expert says.
Madigan’s status as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois and his control over state-regulated campaign funds that spent almost $27 million last year on political campaigns, legal fees and related tasks could be used to taint candidates, according to Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois Springfield.