Quinn wants ethics reform as jury selection continues in Madigan corruption trial

(The Center Square) – With former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial on recess until Tuesday, a former governor is recalling his battle with the longtime House speaker over utility rate legislation.

Madigan, along with co-defendant Michael McClain, is charged with bribery, racketeering and official misconduct.

The federal indictment against Madigan and McClain accuses the pair of causing various businesses, including the utility company Commonwealth Edison, to make monetary payments to Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan.

Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said he vetoed bills in 2011 and 2013 that allowed ComEd to collect billions of additional dollars by charging higher electric rates.

“Attorney General Lisa Madigan supported my vetoes, and she worked with me. We said, ‘this is a very bad way to go,'” Quinn said.

Lisa Madigan is the former speaker’s daughter, who served as Illinois Attorney General from 2003-2019.

Quinn, who was governor from 2009 to 2015, said he explained his vetoes to Michael Madigan.

“Nobody knew that there was alleged bribery going on. I told the speaker back then that this was a mistake,” Quinn recalled.

The General Assembly voted to override Quinn’s vetoes in both 2011 and 2013.

Madigan co-defendant Michael McClain, a former state representative and lobbyist, was one of four people convicted of bribery, conspiracy and falsifying records in the ComEd Four trial last year.

Quinn said jurors in the ComEd case pushed for ethics legislation after they heard disturbing testimony during the trial.

“They pleaded with the legislature to act. They haven’t acted. I think it’s important in the coming year, especially with this trial going on, that Illinois enact stronger ethics standards,” Quinn said.

State Rep. Dave Severin, R-Benton, said he sponsored ethics legislation when Madigan was speaker.

“He made sure that none of those bills were ever assigned to committee or called in committee,” Severin said.

Severin added that ethics legislation has not gone anywhere with current Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, D-Hillside.

Welch’s immediate predecessor was Madigan, who served as speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021. Madigan also chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois from 1998 to 2021.

Jury selection for Madigan’s corruption trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. The court is closed Monday for a federal holiday.

After three days of questioning for prospective jurors, eleven members of the jury have been seated. According to Judge John Robert Blakey, twelve jurors plus six alternates are needed.

Blakey has told attorneys multiple times that he is not going to rush the process.