Tag: mike madigan

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Nathan Reitz Must Follow Jerry Costello’s Lead and Oppose the Graduated Income Tax

One of the last votes Nathan Reitz’s father, former State Rep. Dan Reitz, took was Madigan’s 2011 tax hike; now, Pritzker and Madigan want Nathan Reitz’s first vote to be yet another tax hike


“The fix is in. One of the last votes Nathan Reitz’s father, former State Rep. Dan Reitz, took was Mike Madigan’s 2011 tax hike. Now, Pritzker and Madigan want one of the first votes of Nathan Reitz to be yet another tax hike on Illinois families and small businesses. Tax-hiking is the Reitz family business. Reitz must follow Jerry Costello’s lead and oppose the Pritzker-Madigan-backed graduated income tax. If Reitz supports the tax hike, voters and taxpayers will make Reitz’s tenure in the General Assembly a short one.” – Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider


Moments ago, Democratic county chairmen in the 116th House District voted to appoint Nathan Reitz, son of former State Rep. Dan Reitz, to the vacancy created by former State Rep. Jerry Costello’s resignation. Costello resigned to take an appointment from Governor J.B. Pritzker in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

J.B. Pritzker and Mike Madigan are looking for a vote in support of their tax-hiking agenda, and they think Nathan Reitz is their guy. One of the very first votes Reitz may take before the end of May is on a constitutional amendment to repeal Illinois’ flat income tax and authorize a graduated income tax. Jerry Costello was one of the first Democrats in the Illinois House of Representatives to oppose the graduated income tax.

Unfortunately, tax-hiking is the Reitz family business. One of the very last votes Nathan Reitz’s father, former State Rep. Dan Reitz, took was Mike Madigan’s 2011 tax hike. After voting for Madigan’s tax hike, Dan Reitz decided he would rather not seek re-election than face voters the following November. The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board published an editorial in 2012 on “tax-hiker” Dan Reitz and others for pushing false premises for the income tax hike.

Now, Pritzker and Madigan want one of Nathan Reitz’s first votes to be yet another tax hike on Illinois families and small businesses. Nathan Reitz must follow Jerry Costello’s lead and oppose the graduated income tax and all associated legislation. If Reitz supports the Pritzker-Madigan tax hike, voters and taxpayers will make Reitz’s tenure in the General Assembly a short one.

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ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Statement on Governor J.B. Pritzker’s $3.4 Billion Tax Hike

Moments ago, Governor J.B. Pritzker released proposed graduated income tax rates as part of his plan to raise taxes on Illinois families and businesses. Pritzker’s proposed tax hike plan also puts in place “one of the highest in the nation” tax rates for businesses. Pritzker claims his tax increase would raise an additional $3.4 billion in tax revenue for state coffers. Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider issued the following statement in response:

“More tax hikes will not solve Illinois’ fiscal problems. Pritzker’s proposed $3.4 billion tax increase will lead to even more out-migration of Illinois families, businesses, and jobs. Tax-and-spend Illinois Democrats cannot be trusted with more of our tax dollars. That is why Illinois Republicans stand united against the Pritzker-Madigan tax hike and will continue to support reforms that will lower taxes, create jobs, and make our state thrive once again.”
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Speaker Madigan Should Immediately Disclose All Instances Where He Fired Employees Accused Of Sexual Harassment

Madigan’s office: “Had allegations been brought to the Speaker at the time, he would have terminated any employment relationship… as he has done on other occasions upon learning of such incidents.”

“Speaker Madigan’s own office says that on multiple occasions, Madigan fired employees accused of sexual harassment, yet we don’t know who or when. Over a year ago, Madigan released a partial list of harassment complaints against unnamed employees of his, but the public was never given a full list of complaints and whether or not those complaints have been resolved. Outside of that list, there are three instances where a Madigan employee was fired, dismissed, or resigned because of harassment complaints, but that still does not give us the full scope of harassment in Madigan’s organization.

“In the interest of transparency, Madigan should release the full list of complaints made against his employees and disclose any instances where he terminated their employment. The people of Illinois deserve to know that the most powerful political figure in the state is fully addressing sexual harassment allegations in his own office.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

A recent court filing reveals a new sexual harassment complaint against a former employee of Speaker Mike Madigan.

WBEZ broke the story:

There are new details about an allegation that powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office did not act upon “sexual harassment and/or assault” complaints brought against one of his aides, according to federal court documents.

…Hampton’s lawyers write that she learned of two women who reported “sexual harassment and/or assault” by Travis Shea, who worked on Madigan’s government staff, to the speaker’s attorney.

But after reporting to Madigan’s attorney, Heather Wier Vaught, that “nothing was done in response,” Shea continued to work for the speaker’s office for two more years, according to the court filing. The document didn’t offer primary documentation of the complaints or any more details, except to say “Plaintiff’s investigation continues.”

Responding to the court filings, Madigan’s office claimed the Speaker himself was unaware of the allegations, but if he was, he would’ve terminated the employment of the employee in question, as he has on other occasions.

From the statement issued by Speaker Madigan’s office:

“Speaker Madigan was not made aware of the allegations. Had the allegations been brought to the Speaker at the time, he would have terminated any employment relationship with Mr. Shea, as he has done on other occasions upon learning of such incidents.”

Over a year ago, Madigan released a partial list of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation complaints he says his office has investigated during the past five years. The list does not pertain to Madigan’s political organization, only complaints made by employees of his Speaker’s office. The list did not include any names of individuals accused of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. Madigan claimed that the complaints in the partial list have been resolved.

And outside of that list, we know that these top employees of Madigan have been fired, dismissed, or resigned:

  • Tim Mapes, Madigan’s former Chief of Staff, Clerk of the Illinois House, and Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois, “resigned”
  • Shaw Decremer, former top campaign aide to Madigan and lobbyist, “dismissed”
  • Kevin Quinn, former top campaign aide to Madigan, “fired”

In the interest of transparency, Madigan should release the full list of complaints made against his employees and disclose any instances where he terminated their employment. The people of Illinois deserve to know that the most powerful political figure in the state is fully addressing sexual harassment at the State Capitol.

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ICYMI: Corrupt Chicago Alderman Referred Legal Business To Mike Madigan, FBI Recorded The Meeting

“From what I’m hearing, there’s lots more to come out on the speaker.”

In a bombshell report from the Chicago Sun-Times, a court affidavit revealed Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan was the subject of a secret FBI recording.

In 2014, Chicago Alderman Danny Solis arranged a meeting between Madigan and a real estate developer concerning legal business with Madigan’s property tax appeals law firm, Madigan and Getzendanner. Solis is alleged to have told an associate of the developer that “if [the developer] works with the speaker, [the developer] will get anything he needs for that hotel… [the developer]’s going to benefit from being with the speaker . . . okay?”

Speaker Madigan has denied any wrongdoing, but one reporter is saying that he’s heard “there’s lots more to come out on the speaker.” The revelation dominated yesterday’s news:

Chicago Sun-Times: FBI secretly recorded Mike Madigan at his law office pitching firm’s services

The FBI secretly recorded Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan trying to get business for his private law firm from a developer brought to him by Ald. Danny Solis, who was weighing the developer’s request to build a hotel in Chinatown, according to a federal court affidavit obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

…Madigan’s law firm’s legal fees were discussed during the meeting — and the Southwest Side Democrat  made it clear he wanted more than a short-term deal with the developer.

“We’re not interested in a quick killing here,” Madigan said during the meeting. “We’re interested in a long-term relationship.”

 

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Corruption in Chicago — and what nobody has to say

…A developer in 2014 wanted to build a hotel in Chinatown, but he needed a zoning change. So he asked Ald. Danny Solis (25th) for a letter of support.

Solis hemmed and hawed through the summer. Then he invited the developer and an associate of the developer to a meeting with Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who runs a law firm that does property tax work.

At some point in the meeting, according to the affidavit, Madigan said his law firm would like to do tax work for the developer. Solis chimed in to say there was “no better firm” to do such work.

Three days later, the developer’s associate called Solis to tell him the developer had agreed to hire Madigan’s law firm.

 

Chicago Sun-Times: Pritzker has little to say about Madigan being recorded by feds

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that public officials should avoid outside occupations that conflict with their public responsibilities — but he said he did not know whether House Speaker Mike Madigan had done so.

And the newly seated Democratic governor declined to offer any opinions on a report by the Chicago Sun-Times that revealed Madigan was recorded by authorities in his private law office as they investigated Ald. Danny Solis.

 

Chicago Tribune Editorial: ‘Operation Illinois Politics’: The FBI is on the prowl

The investigation has reached blockbuster status: The FBI has surreptitiously recorded the speaker of the Illinois House as well as Chicago’s two most influential aldermen — City Council committee chairmen who’ve overseen zoning and finances.

…Some of those federally-enshrined chats were with the second alderman, Edward Burke, whom the U.S. Department of Justice has accused of attempted extortion. Prosecutors have released only fragments from a few of the thousands of Burke telephone conversations they wiretapped with judicial permission.

Then there’s that other pol who spoke into a little microphone. The opening of a news story that reverberated Tuesday through this city’s, this state’s, corridors of power: The FBI secretly recorded Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan trying to get business for his private law firm from a developer brought to him by Ald. Danny Solis, who was weighing the developer’s request to build a hotel in Chinatown, according to a federal court affidavit obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

 

Chicago Tribune: House Speaker Michael Madigan’s public and private roles back in spotlight after bombshell involving Ald. Danny Solis

…Madigan has faced several probes over his decades in office, including into allegations of government staffers doing political work, patronage hiring at Metra, and a university union contract dispute involving a top campaign donor. While critics have raised questions about Madigan’s ethics, he has never been charged.

But it’s Madigan’s public career as House speaker and private career as founder and rainmaker of one of Chicago’s top property tax appeals law firms that has come under the most consistent scrutiny over the years. The Tribune’s 2010 “The Madigan Rules” series showed that in some cases, Madigan took public actions that benefited his private clients, and he and the firm have faced criticism over the years for representing clients that also have business before the state.

…Some of Madigan’s decisions as speaker have the potential to affect someone who has hired Madigan’s firm in hopes of having a tax bill lowered. The Tribune has reported that as a public official, Madigan got a private road behind a shopping mall repaved, helped secure state funding for an expanded tollway interchange and intervened for a developer looking for state cash. In each case, Madigan was a private lawyer for businesspeople who stood to benefit.

 

Crain’s Chicago Business: Mike Madigan shocker rocks state, city politics

Mike Madigan says he did nothing wrong. But the news that he was taped by Ald. Danny Solis, 25th, as part of a federal corruption probe is providing another stunning shock to Illinois politics and further roiling an already unpredictable race for mayor.

In separate statements, both Madigan and his longtime private attorney, Heather Wier Vaught, dismissed allegations in a Chicago Sun-Times report that Solis arranged a meeting with a zoning applicant who needed Solis’ backing for a Chinatown hotel project. Solis reportedly told the developer that hiring Madigan’s law firm to handle property tax appeals would clear the way for the zoning approval, but though the zoning was secured, Madigan’s firm was not retained and the hotel never was built.

 

Illinois News Network: After news of Madigan’s secret FBI tape, Pritzker wants to ‘see the investigation play out’

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he wants to “see the investigation play out” after news that a federal investigation into the Chicago City Council included a secretly recorded conversation between House Speaker Michael Madigan and a developer who wanted to build a hotel in Chinatown.

Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who spent two years cooperating with investigators arranged the meeting between Madigan and the developer at Madigan’s law office 2014. Madigan was recorded pitching his legal services and seeking a longterm relationship with the developer, according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. Madigan denied wrongdoing through his attorney.

 

WGN Chicago: FBI secretly recorded Mike Madigan at his law office, report says

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan was secretly recorded by the FBI trying to secure a developer’s business for Madigan’s private law firm, according to a published report.

…Madigan denies any wrongdoing.

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ILGOP Statement On Sun-Times Report That The FBI Secretly Recorded Speaker Mike Madigan At His Law Office

In affidavit, FBI agent alleges a Chicago alderman said that if a developer hired Madigan’s law firm, then the developer would benefit from official action of Speaker Madigan and the alderman

 

“Like Ed Burke, developers and wealthy real estate holders don’t consider Speaker Madigan for legal work just because he’s a competent lawyer. Madigan acquires legal clients because he is one of the most powerful political leaders and lawmakers in the State of Illinois. That’s wrong. The fact remains that it is an incredible conflict of interest for Madigan to simultaneously serve as Speaker of the Illinois House and as a property tax appeals attorney. The people of Illinois will not see real reform of our broken and punitive property tax system until lawmakers ban that practice.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

In a bombshell report from the Chicago Sun-Times, a court affidavit revealed Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan was the subject of a secret FBI recording.

In 2014, Chicago Alderman Danny Solis arranged a meeting between Madigan and a real estate developer concerning legal business with Madigan’s property tax appeals law firm, Madigan and Getzendanner. Solis is alleged to have told an associate of the developer that “if [the developer] works with the speaker, [the developer] will get anything he needs for that hotel… [the developer]’s going to benefit from being with the speaker . . . okay?”

Alderman Solis is the subject of a recently-revealed federal investigation following the corruption indictment against Alderman Ed Burke.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

The FBI secretly recorded Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan trying to get business for his private law firm from a developer brought to him by Ald. Danny Solis, who was weighing the developer’s request to build a hotel in Chinatown, according to a federal court affidavit obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

The affidavit makes clear for the first time that the federal investigation that has snared powerful Chicago Ald. Edward M. Burke extends beyond City Hall and into the Illinois statehouse, examining politicians’ longstanding practice of merging personal and political business.

…Madigan, who isn’t facing any criminal charges, was recorded by an associate of the developer during a meeting at Madigan’s law office that Solis had arranged, according to the affidavit. That associate, who’d been secretly working for the feds, made a “video and audio recording” of the meeting, which occurred in 2014.

…An FBI agent alleges in the 120-page affidavit: “I understand Solis to mean that by hiring Madigan’s private firm, [the developer] would ensure that Solis and Madigan would take official action benefitting [the developer] in their capacity as public officials.”

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Lisa Madigan’s Shocking Exit From Illinois politics is Further Proof that the Madigan Brand is Toxic

Beginning of the end of the Madigan Family’s disastrous reign over Illinois

“Thanks to her father, Lisa Madigan knew her days as Attorney General were numbered. The Madigan brand is toxic for every single Illinois Democrat. This should be the beginning of the end of the Madigan Family’s disastrous reign over Illinois.” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Aaron DeGroot

In another shocking development on the toxicity of the Madigan brand, Capitol Fax is reporting that longtime Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, the daughter of House Speaker Mike Madigan, will not be seeking re-election.

Lisa Madigan’s announcement comes on the heels of the departure of Mike Madigan’s second-in-command, House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie.

In 2013, Lisa Madigan floated her name as a potential candidate for governor, but took her name out of consideration because of looming questions about her closeness to her father and the possibility of so much concentrated political power in one family.

There can only be one conclusion from the departure of Leader Curry and Attorney General Madigan – the Madigan brand is toxic and Illinois Democrats know it.

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ILGOP Chairman Tim Schneider Statement on Mike Madigan’s Permanent 32% Tax Hike

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider released the following statement after the Illinois House of Representatives passed Speaker Mike Madigan’s permanent 32% tax hike without reforms:

“Today, Springfield politicians led by Speaker Mike Madigan voted to permanently raise taxes by 32% on the hard-working families of Illinois without passing property tax relief for homeowners, job-creating reforms, or term limits on politicians.

“Make no mistake about it – this historic vote was not the product of negotiation and compromise focused on pro-growth, citizen-empowering reforms. Last night, Madigan broke away from good faith budget negotiations with the intent of pushing his own plan to protect the broken status quo. Today, Madigan then introduced his massive 1,241-page tax-and-spend plan and gave lawmakers only hours to read, debate, and vote on the package.

“This 32% permanent tax increase, the largest in Illinois’ history, was the product of insider deal-making between special interests and entrenched politicians. Next year, voters will hold those politicians accountable for choosing Madigan over the people of Illinois.

“Now more than ever, Republicans across Illinois are standing with Governor Rauner and redoubling our efforts to end Madigan’s corrupt status quo.”