Kendall County Times

Former State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield), who called for Michael Madigan’s resignation more than five years ago, said the former Illinois House Speaker’s conviction on multiple corruption charges was a long time coming. 

Madigan, who served as Illinois House Speaker for 36 years, was convicted on 10 counts of conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud related to schemes involving the state’s largest utility, ComEd.

Batinick, who served Illinois’ 97th House District from 2015 to 2023, made his demand for Madigan’s resignation in December 2019 amid FBI investigations into the speaker’s alleged corruption.

“I said it all over 5 years ago,” Batinick told the Kendall County Times. 

Batinick, joined by fellow reform-minded legislators like State Rep. Randy Frese (R-Quincy), criticized Madigan’s refusal to advance ethics reform legislation, including bills addressing Illinois' culture of corruption. 

They also called for a special legislative session to enact reforms to curb corrupt political practices.

On Facebook, Batinick expressed pride in his early stand against Madigan’s leadership.

“Over five years ago, three of my colleagues joined me in being the first sitting State Reps ever to have the courage to call for Speaker Madigan to resign,” Batinick said on Facebook. “Many people forget how much power he held over both Democrats and Republicans. I will admit I was extremely nervous at the time. But this may be the thing I’m most proud about during my time in office.” 

The trial, which included damning wiretap evidence, revealed how Madigan used his political power for personal gain, including securing a job for former state representative Eddie Acevedo in exchange for AT&T’s support on legislation.

Batinick’s demand for Madigan’s resignation and his advocacy for ethics reform stand in contrast to Madigan’s long, controversial legacy. 

Under Madigan’s leadership, Illinois became synonymous with political corruption. From 1983 to 2023, the state averaged more than one corruption conviction per week, with Madigan playing a central role in the state’s political landscape.

Even after his departure in 2021, Illinois saw a record 59 corruption convictions in 2023, most linked to the Northern District, which includes Chicago.

Illinois' ongoing corruption crisis was exacerbated by Madigan’s control over the state budget and pension system, which led to one of the nation’s worst pension crises and a near-junk credit rating.

According to Illinois Policy, Madigan’s tenure saw an explosion of pension debt and fiscal mismanagement, with high taxes and rising state debt prompting many residents to leave Illinois

To address these ongoing issues, experts are calling for substantial ethics reforms, including limiting lawmakers' influence as lobbyists, improving financial transparency, and empowering the legislative inspector general.