SHELBYVILLE, IL… State Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) issued the following statement after former Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan was sentenced to 7 ½ years in federal prison after being found guilty of bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy and other charges this past February. Madigan served as the Illinois Speaker of the House for nearly 40 years.
“Justice was served today, as Former Speaker Mike Madigan, now a convicted felon, is finally going to prison,” said Rep. Halbrook. “That is where he belongs. He is a criminal, convicted by a jury of his peers.”
“Although Madigan has now been sentenced, the culture of corruption in Illinois hangs over our state like a dark cloud,” continued Halbrook. “Take Speaker Welch for example. He was hand-picked by Madigan and has stifled House Republican efforts to curb corruption through meaningful ethics reforms.”
To offer solutions, House Republicans have filed several bills to end public corruption. Legislation that would end the practice of legislators working as lobbyists for municipal governments, close the revolving door for legislators wishing to become lobbyists, and ending the practice of using campaign funds for legal defense purposes have all been stalled in the House by Speaker Welch.
“The people of Illinois deserve a government they can trust. Unfortunately, Democrats have repeatedly stopped Republican efforts to clean up state government and enact tough and lasting reforms to our ethics laws,” Halbrook said.
For more information, please contact Rep. Halbrook at (217) 342-0220 or by visiting RepHalbrook.com.
###