Chicago City Wire

Political strategist Chris Robling said the indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is a sad day for the state.

“The indictment reads as a very sad betrayal of the taxpayers and ratepayers, which means just about everybody in Illinois," Robling told Chicago City Wire. "It remains to be proven in court. It appears that the speaker's operation was devoted to corrupting its relationship with the utility on which every one of us depends. So they took the power utility and turned it into a utility for their power period."

Robling said for years he did work for clients who had projects with ComEd and CEO Anne Pramaggiore, as well as others named in the indictment and had no inclination the bribery scandal was unfolding in the same political waters.

“It's sickening every day. It's a terrible disappointment,” Robling said.

Robling, a classmate of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s at Northwestern Law School, is a conservative political strategist who spent a decade as a host for Chicago Public Radio and also spent time at WMAQ.

In a series of papers and documents revealed as part of the investigation, Madigan was known as "official A." He and former Commonwealth Edison lobbyist and Quincy native Michael McClain have been accused of running a racketeering ring involved in a $150 million bribery scandal.

In a statement announcing the indictment, the Department of Justice noted Madigan was indicted on "racketeering and bribery charges for allegedly using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates."

"Corruption by an elected official and his associates undermines the public’s confidence in our government," U.S. Attorney John Lausch, who filed the indictment, said. "The indictment alleges a long-term, multifaceted scheme to use public positions for unlawful private gain. Rooting out and prosecuting the kind of corruption alleged in the indictment will always be a top priority for this office."

Madigan, 79, held power for 36 years as House speaker. He resigned on Feb. 18, 2021, months after his and McClain’s operation was discovered to have funneled $150 million in bribes through ComEd. ComEd was investigated under the federal racketeering RICO law until it signed a plea worth $200 million.

Madigan has continued as a senior partner with Madigan and Getzendanner, a law firm specializing in property tax adjustments. For years, Madigan was also criticized for his role in that firm for its close ties to other prominent Democrats authorized to lower property taxes.