(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should answer questions about a bribery scheme in a case where federal prosecutors have already secured one guilty plea.
The governor’s comments came after the chairman of the committee investigating Madigan’s involvement defended using Madigan’s clout to get jobs for people he knows.
A deferred prosecution agreement between federal prosecutors and ComEd implicated Madigan in a nearly decade-long bribery scandal in which the utility admitted it gave $1.3 million in do-nothing jobs and contracts to Madigan allies to influence the speaker’s actions on legislation.
Madigan hasn’t been charged with a crime, but he does face a legislative investigating panel. He has declined to testify voluntarily.
Pritzker reiterated Wednesday, the speaker should answer questions before the committee.
“I strongly believe that the speaker should take any opportunity, and this is one, to present answers to the questions that I think all of us have,” Pritzker said.
In denying to testify before the committee in a letter last week, Madigan maintained he had done nothing wrong.
After Republicans on the committee failed to convince Democrats to issue subpoenas for Madigan and others Tuesday, state Rep. Chris Welch, D-Hillside, laid out what needs to happen before issuing subpoenas.
“Right now I believe it was premature,” Welch said. “I think there’s more work that needs to be done. We’re going to take it under advisement.”
Welch also defended in the past asking Madigan to help him get jobs for people he knows as a way to fight for diversity.
“You shouldn’t be prohibited from advocating for people that you know, or relatives,” Welch said. “Those black women, all but my mom, were doctors, well qualified.”
Welch explained why he went to the speaker to accomplish the goal.
“Because I wanted them to get selected and I wanted them to get the best opportunity possible,” Welch said.
Republican state Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, has concerns about Welch’s independence leading the committee because he had asked the speaker for help finding jobs.
“‘Get my wife a job, see if you can get my mom a job,’ ” Mazzochi said. “There were other individuals where he was trying to use the speaker’s clout to try and get jobs.”
She said Illinois should not have to be the “national joke for corruption.”
Outside of letters sent through the committee asking for voluntary testimony, Welch maintains he has not spoken to Madigan since the end of session back in late May.
The next hearing is expected to feature testimony from former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez, who pleaded guilty to bribery in the scheme, but no date has been set for the hearing.
