East Central Reporter

State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) has voiced his strong opinions on the conviction of former House Speaker Michael Madigan, calling it a reflection of a much larger issue in the state’s political landscape. 

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

In a press release, Niemerg criticized Madigan not only for being a participant in Illinois' culture of corruption but for being the "architect" of that very culture.

“Michael Madigan served as Speaker of the Illinois House for nearly four decades,” Niemerg said in a press release. 

“He was not just a participant in the culture of corruption. In many ways, he was the architect of the pay to play culture that has engulfed our state for far too long. He had nearly 40 years to leave his mark on Illinois government. How does someone this corrupt hold such a powerful position for so long? Madigan created a system of government that allows corruption to not only to survive but to thrive. The takeaway we need to have from Madigan’s conviction is the urgent need to enact real ethics reforms.”

Niemerg, a staunch advocate for accountability, emphasized that the state’s culture of corruption could not be ignored any longer. He said the legislature only offered superficial solutions to the ongoing problem, while real reforms continue to be pushed aside. 

Niemerg believes the Madigan conviction should not be viewed as the end of the problem but as a wake-up call for Illinois lawmakers to take immediate action on ethics reform. 

“For too long, the legislative leaders have pretended to pass ethics reforms as a ploy to avoid passing reforms that will actually work,” Niemerg said. 

“It is time for our elected leaders in Springfield to have some real accountability. One easy place to start is to give the Legislative Inspector General the authority to conduct real investigations and to root out corruption. This should be a bipartisan effort.” Madigan’s conviction marks a significant turning point in Illinois politics, as the former Speaker had long been considered untouchable, wielding unmatched power over the state’s political processes. 

His recent conviction, following an extensive trial and wiretap evidence, demonstrated the extent of his corruption. 

One of the most notable schemes uncovered in the trial involved Madigan securing a job for former state representative Eddie Acevedo in exchange for AT&T’s support on legislation.

The case has had wider-reaching consequences, including Madigan’s ineligibility to receive pension benefits from the General Assembly Retirement System. 

Although the jury was unable to reach a consensus on 12 other charges, the conviction remains a major blow to Madigan’s legacy.

Illinois has long struggled with corruption, with the state averaging more than one corruption conviction per week from 1983 to 2023, a period that coincided with Madigan’s leadership. 

According to Illinois Policy, the state’s political and financial challenges were worsened by Madigan’s control over the state’s budget, pension system and legislative process. Under Madigan’s watch, Illinois was left with the nation’s worst pension crisis, a near-junk credit rating and years of fiscal mismanagement, including reliance on borrowing and gimmicks to balance budgets.

Niemerg represents the 102nd House District, which includes all or parts of Champaign, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence and Vermilion counties.