CHICAGO - State Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) called on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to resign immediately from both his speakership and his chairmanship of the Democratic Party of Illinois. No caveats. No “if true” evasions.
Some will argue that the Speaker is innocent until charges are filed and he’s proven guilty. But those are not the standards that should apply to his leadership role. Serving as Speaker is not a right; it’s a privilege. A leader’s actions must avoid even the perception of wrongdoing. Speaker Madigan repeatedly has violated that trust.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
For the same reason, Michael Madigan should step down as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. We are in the midst of the most important campaign of our lifetime — to remove a President who routinely violates our Constitution and our trust. In contrast, Democrats must offer voters a level of trust and accountability that Chairman Madigan can no longer provide.
This puts Governor JB Pritzker in a box after spending more than a week shielding Madigan from pressure to resign immediately.
Will today be the day Governor Pritzker calls on Madigan to resign immediately – or will dig himself deeper into Madigan’s culture of corruption? And does the Governor fear this could be his fate if the federal investigation into his own property tax fraud deepens?
