Chicago City Wire

The Illinois Policy Institute has highlighted the need for reforms to prevent political corruption in the state, referencing former House Speaker Michael Madigan's influence. The institute previously released a documentary titled “Madigan: Power. Privilege. Politics.” in 2016, which detailed Madigan’s control over Illinois politics. Their report, “Madigan’s rules: How Illinois gives its House speaker power to manipulate and control the legislative process,” provided foundational insights into his political maneuvers.

Experts from the Illinois Policy Institute are available for comment during Madigan's trial proceedings. Austin Berg, vice president of marketing at the institute, stated that efforts to combat political corruption in Illinois must continue beyond this case. Berg noted that while a verdict might hold Madigan accountable and set an example for current lawmakers, many elements of the power structure he established still exist.

Berg explained that "the House speaker still decides which bills live or die through the Rules Committee," and retains significant influence over leadership positions and related stipends. He pointed out that a bill can be called for a vote without prior notice to lawmakers and highlighted deficiencies in rules governing conflicts of interest recusal processes.

Furthermore, Berg criticized the lack of restrictions on transitioning from lawmaker to lobbyist roles and pointed out that sitting lawmakers can lobby local governments within Illinois. He also mentioned limitations faced by the Legislative Inspector General’s office regarding subpoena issuance and report publication without legislative approval.

Reflecting on Madigan’s fiscal impact in Springfield, Berg cited issues such as pension crises, tax hikes, and unbalanced budgets as ongoing concerns. He emphasized that comprehensive ethics reform is essential to prevent further exploitation of constituents and taxpayers by government leaders.

"Illinois needs comprehensive ethics reform and financial guardrails to ensure lawmakers and government leaders aren’t exploiting constituents and taxpayers," said Berg. "It’s the only way to offer a clean break from the culture of corruption for which Springfield is notorious."