This is what I might have heard at the Chicago Tribune’s recent roll call.
“All right journalists, lock and load. This is Michael Madigan week. Take down that poster of Gov. George Ryan and pin up the speaker’s.”
Why?
Because it looks like a Democratic year in Illinois state politics. The governor’s race is almost a foregone conclusion. The attorney general race is about the only winnable statewide race for Republicans, and Lisa Madigan is as clean as a hound’s tooth.
Then, with a state budget of about $50 billion, Michael Madigan has been caught red-handed spending $7,200 for a constituency office in Evergreen Park.
Also, the speaker gave a former college classmate $300,000 in state money for a private livestock show at a time of a budget crunch. This is news.
Well if these are the only sins of Michael Madigan after 32 years of service to Illinois, we ought to enshrine him. And his statue should be placed bull’s-eye center in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, of course, with a pimple on his cheek so the Tribune will have fodder to write about.
Editor’s note: As Sept. 11 approaches, the Tribune would like to devote space in the Voice of the people section to readers’ reflections on the events of a year ago and the months since. By Aug. 22, please submit your letter to the editor, sharing your thoughts, to the address listed for letters to the editor.
