Chicago City Wire

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, who resides in the 13th Ward, may lose his retirement benefits while awaiting trial. 

“Illinois taxpayers are paying $7,100 a month in funds for pension payments to indicted former House Speaker, Michael Madigan,” The Center Square’s Andrew Hensel said on Twitter.

HB1277, sponsored by State Reps. Amy Elik (R-Alton), Tony McCombie (R-Savannah), and Bradley Fritts (R-Dixon) would remove retirement system payments from any member indicted, such as Madigan has been, and reinstate those payments if the accused is found to not have engaged in criminal activity. 

“Provides that benefit or annuity payments to a member or participant in a retirement system or pension fund shall be suspended if the member or participant is indicted or charged by information with a felony and the board of the retirement system or pension fund determines that the felony relates to or arises out of or in connection with his or her service as a member or participant of the retirement system or pension fund,” the bill’s synopsis reads. “Provides that if the member or participant is not convicted of that felony, payment of the benefit or annuity shall resume and the retirement system or pension fund shall pay to the member or participant the amount of the suspended annuity or benefit payments with interest."

The bill would amend the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code.

Elik said the group put the bill forth in response to Madigan’s indictment. She told The Center Square that "There is a possibility that he [Madigan] may want to delay, delay, delay, the lawyers may want to delay the trial, and all during that time, he is still receiving a lucrative pension." Hence, the bill "would just say, once you're indicted or charged with information, your pension payments get suspended. If you're found not guilty, or the case doesn't proceed, you'll get your pension payments back with interest."

Madigan faces 23 charges of public corruption in relation to a bribery scandal at ComEd and another unrelated matter at AT&T. The 81-year-old Madigan will go on trial in April 2024. Despite being under investigation, Madigan who still holds elected office as 13th Ward Democratic committeeman, reportedly took part in the state's 2022 campaigns. Additionally, he transferred the last $10 million from his campaign budget to his defense fund.