Chicago City Wire

Chicago Republican Party Chairman Steve Boulton recently issued a statement following the indictment of former House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Madigan was indicted on March 2 for federal racketeering and bribery charges, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The 22-count indictment includes charges of racketeering conspiracy, bribery, wire fraud, and attempted extortion. Madigan has been accused of using his position to increase his own political power while increasing wealth for himself and his political allies.

Chicago GOP Chairman Steve Boulton | Steve Boulton/Twitter

A press release from the Chicago GOP notes, "Boulton, who with former Republican Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica took on Madigan and his organizations in federal lawsuits alleging misconduct, were among the few who directly and publicly stood against Madigan when others feared to do so."

"This indictment might be limited to Madigan and immediate cronies, but the stench and corruption extends to all who happily flew under Madigan’s wings, while knowing full well how all that power and money was generated," Boulton said. "The blame for the disastrous fiscal condition of government in Springfield, Cook County and Chicago can be laid directly at the doorstep of Madigan and those Democrat officeholders who blithely followed his directions for years, and participated in a corrupt political machine, all for their own personal advancement or profit. We will not listen to how they did not know. They need to acknowledge their fault and return the millions in tainted Madigan money."

After Madigan's bribery scandal came to light, Illinois legislators passed an ethics reform bill last year, which Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed in October, according to Illinois Policy. The Legislative Inspector General at the time, Carol Pope, announced her resignation in response to the "ethics reform" bill.

ABC 20 News reported that in her letter of resignation, Pope called the office of LIG a "paper tiger" and stated that the so-called ethics reform bill did not go far enough, and actually tied her hands more than they had been before. Pope told ABC, "I'm thinking that the legislature knows the limitations of the power of the LIG and that they want it that way. That's why I said I am a paper tiger. There are no real teeth to this legislation the way it is now."

Madigan is not the first corrupt official to call Illinois home. According to WBEZ News, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached and convicted of multiple corruption charges. Former governor and secretary of state George Ryan was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to 6.5 years in prison. Former U.S. Rep. of more than 35 years Dan Rostenkowski was convicted of corruption and sentenced to serve time in prison.