Chicago City Wire

David Krupa is convinced the ethics reform effort now being spearheaded by Democrats in Springfield appears destined to become an exercise in futility.

“How can you have true ethics reform when you have a corrupt Speaker of the House still sitting at the helm?” Krupa told Chicago City Wire. “As long as Mike Madigan is still leading Springfield, any reform effort that passes through there has to be seen as the joke it is because there can be no real reform until he’s gone.”

With Madigan now under embroiled in a widening federal corruption probe involving utility giant ComEd and a pay-for-play scheme, some Democrat legislators are now pushing a package of nine reform measures they insist will quickly lead to the kind of culture change in Springfield most agree is critically needed. Heading the list of proposals are measures that would ban legislators from becoming lobbyists, require greater financial disclosures, establish a censure process, make the legislative inspector general more independent, and institute term limits. 

Krupa, a former Chicago alderman candidate, sees it all as just more smoke and mirrors.

"It’s honestly laughable that Democrats would even be trying to push ethics reform without first dealing with everything that’s happening with Madigan,” he added. “And mind you, none of this is new news. The word about Madigan and how he operates has been out there.”

Krupa argues the rot now runs so deep in Springfield it’s going to take more than just ousting Madigan to erase the stench.

“Madigan going has to happen to make the cleanup a possibility, but we also need to hold those accountable that have supported him through all this madness,” he said. “I don’t feel those people can be trusted either, which is why you have to have questions about any ethics reform package they would be putting forth.”