(The Center Square) – The special committee investigating House Speaker Michael Madigan’s involvement in a bribery scheme has hit the pause button as it officially notifies the U.S. Attorney it also plans to investigate the issue.
In July, federal prosecutors released a deferred prosecution agreement where utility ComEd agreed to pay $200 million in fines because it took part in a scheme to give jobs and contracts to Madigan, D-Chicago, associates in exchange for favorable legislation.
Madigan has not been charged with a crime and he has denied wrongdoing.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, laid out charges he wants the House Special investigating committee to find.
“Including engaging in a bribery scheme, an extortion scheme, conspiracy to violate federal and state laws amongst other misconduct and misuse of the office,” Durkin said.
Durkin used House Rule 91 to request the special committee Aug. 31.
The committee Thursday entered various exhibits, including Durkin’s petition, the deferred prosecution agreement that identifies “Public Official A” as the Speaker of the Illinois House, and a list of witnesses Republicans wants to voluntarily testify, including Madigan and a former ComEd official who was charged with bribery last Friday.
“I think this exhibit that has been acknowledged and entered into the record underscores the importance for Leader [Dixon Republican state rep. Tom] Demmer and I to contact the U.S. Attorney [John] Lausch and seek his guidance,” said committee Chairman state Rep. Chris Welch, D-Hillside.
Republicans worried that could slow the process. Welch said the pause for guidance is precedent and promised hearings would resume expeditiously.
Madigan didn’t testify during the first hearing Thursday.
Republican member, state Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, said Madigan has to respond to what was laid out in the deferred prosecution agreement ComEd entered into.
“Here we have statements of fact and if the Speaker doesn’t refute them, I think the logical conclusion can be drawn,” Wehrli said. “I would hope that we don‘t have to get to the subpoena level, but that’s something that the power is given in the rules.”
That would require a motion to be approved by the committee that’s evenly split among Democrats and Republicans. But if the committee made of three Democrats and three Republicans is tied, such a motion would fail.
Welch said he didn’t want to speculate about the outcome of the, but hopes the public would pay attention.
“I hope that the being open and transparent about what we’re doing they will understand what’s going on with this committee, that’s my goal,” Welch said.
Lawmakers have not set a date for the next hearing, but could be next week. Committee documents and a schedule will be published at ILGA.gov.
If the committee were to approve any charges, a 12-member disciplinary committee would be formed. From there, a resolution disciplining Madigan through either censure or expulsion could advance to the full House. Demmer said the investigating committee should be able to do its job before the election in November.
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