Free Republic

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, the country’s longest-serving state House leader, has been sentenced to 7.5 years in prison and a $2.5 million fine on corruption convictions. In February, a jury found guilty Madigan of bribery conspiracy, wire fraud and other crimes.

Lawmakers from both parties have called for John Lausch to keep his job President Joe Biden is forcing Chicago's top federal prosecutor to resign amid ongoing criminal probes of powerful Illinois Democrats and their associates. U.S. attorney John Lausch is prosecuting close confidants of Democrat boss Mike Madigan, an ally of former president Barack Obama who resigned from the state legislature Thursday after a decades-long reign in Springfield. Lausch's office will also prosecute Chicago alderman Edward Burke (D.), an influential figure accused of strong-arming businesses into retaining his law firm. Lausch's abrupt removal has drawn bipartisan criticism from Illinois lawmakers...

Reflections on Illinois roadways and the speed bumps of the General Assembly... When you or I walk outside in the spring, and see that the winter has left behind a few reminders on our driveways – a pothole, a chip, a crack – we check the finances, and perhaps we have the driveway completely repaved… …But much more likely, we head to the local hardware store, pick up a bag of concrete mix or blacktop patch, and get to work on our hands and knees with our trusty trowels. While fully repaving the driveway is certainly a “nice-to-have,” it’s hardly...

She sent Mike Madigan a letter last year warning the House speaker that a top political aide — and brother of Madigan’s own hand-picked alderman — had made “unwanted advances.” Repeated text messages asking the woman if she wanted to go out on a date or have drinks. A press release about the news conference calls the firing “pro-active but a cover up” — showing the woman is not pleased about how her allegations were treated. The woman, identified as Alaina Hampton, came forward “not once, but twice.” The firing came a day after Hampton filmed an interview. “I basically...

If Republicans succeed in limiting the state-and-local tax deduction, one hope is that this could finally inspire a come-to-Jesus moment in prodigal high-tax states. Democrats in Illinois ought to be especially chastened by new IRS data showing an acceleration of out-migration. The Prairie State lost a record $4.75 billion in adjusted gross income to other states in the 2015 tax year, according to recently IRS data released. That’s up from $3.4 billion in the prior year. Many of the migrants were retirees who often flock to balmier climes. But millennials accounted for more than a third of the net outflow...

Let’s begin with a quick refresher: In July, 2017, the Democrat-dominated legislature of the State of Illinois, a state already suffering the loss of 95,000 residents per year, voted to override its governor and increase both the business and personal income tax by a third. To be specific, that’s a 32% increase in the individual income tax, and a 33% increase in the corporate income tax…thereby adding to a regulatory and tax structure that’s already so crippling, it’s driving out people and businesses at a rate faster than any other state, even states as famous for such flight as California...

CHAMPION NEWS Urges Illinois Republican Representatives To Support Bill EDITOR'S NOTE: The following info and legislative alert is from Champion News (CN) and was issued June 18th. Champion News calls on Republican voters to contact state Representatives regarding SB600. CN says legislation has huge potential to change Illinois GOP for the good. -- DTZ -- RFFM.org Urge GOP State Representatives to Co-Sponsor SB600 Lawmakers returned to Springfield on Tuesday, June 23rd for a special session. The budget mess may be the driving force but it’s also the perfect time to close the loop on SB600. Please take a minute and...

Illinois State House & Senate Majority Leaders determine the fate of a bill before assigned to a Committee: The rest is a political shell game and, sadly, this type of political gamesmanship plays across the Country by Dan Zanoza ...state legislation must make it out of assigned Committees before coming to the full House or Senate for an up or down vote. Hence, the easiest way to kill a bill is to make sure the legislation never comes out of its assigned Committee. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama took considerable criticism from the pro-life community for being the Chair...