Seth Perlman/AP file
Mike Madigan controls a majority of the weighted vote that will determine who succeeds him in the Illinois House, but a coalition of progressive groups from the Southwest Side and surrounding areas wants the “disgraced” former legislator’s opinion to carry no weight.
Leaders of the Coalition for Change IL3 released a list of demands Friday regarding the appointment, including that Madigan hand his votes over to a proxy and play no role in the decision.
“The Southwest Side and the entire state of Illinois has been plagued by Machine politics for decades,” the coalition said in a statement. “For Madigan’s entire career in the General Assembly, he has led through intimidation tactics, patronage and a long legacy of backroom deals.”
After 50 years as a state representative, Chicago Democrat Mike Madigan is resigning from the Illinois House of Representatives at the end of the month.
Timeline: Looking back at the career of Mike Madigan herald-review.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from herald-review.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
UpdatedWed, Jan 13, 2021 at 4:29 pm CT
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Illinois State Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch (D-Hillside) addresses the Illinois House of Representatives after his election as speaker Wednesday at the Bank of Springfield Center. (BlueRoomStream)
SPRINGFIELD, IL State Rep. Chris Welch (D-Hillside) replaced Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) as speaker of the Illinois House Wednesday, becoming the first Black person elected to the post in the chamber s history.
Madigan had held the speaker s gavel since 1983, apart from a two-year interregnum in the mid-1990s after Republicans won a majority. He was the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, despite polls indicating he is deeply unpopular among voters who do not rely on his patronage or campaign fundraising apparatus.