St. Charles, IL – State Representative Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) issued the following statement in the wake of former House Speaker Mike Madigan being sentenced to prison today. Madigan was convicted on 10 criminal counts earlier this year, including bribery conspiracy, wire fraud, and other crimes.
“No sentence will ever repair the damage former Speaker Madigan has leveled on this state. His long-time, near absolute control through corruption wreaked havoc on our state. It has resulted in sky-high property taxes, out-of-control crime and a broken educational system for our children. Madigan was as powerful as any politician this or any other state has ever seen, and it’s clear that power, in part, came from directing a decade-long criminal enterprise that shook down an Illinois utility company for jobs and cash so he could continue to control Illinois. Madigan will now be in prison, but his stain of corruption will continue to hang over the Illinois General Assembly.
“It is now more important than ever to strengthen Illinois’ ethics laws. House Republicans have introduced legislation and solutions for many years, but majority party Democrats refuse to engage and get serious about ethics reforms. The people of Illinois deserve a government they can trust, not more corruption looming down the road. This is unacceptable.”
