A colleague asked me about Illinois Democratic Party Chairman and House Speaker Michael Madigan. Madigan is a man of unwavering principal. As long as the principal is what is best for Michael Madigan.
Every piece of anti-teacher legislation that has ever passed the House has Madigan’s fingerprints all over it. Years ago he pushed for an extension of probationary status for teachers from two to four years. Then he pushed for a 6% cap on teacher compensation during the last four years of employment. They both passed the General Assembly.
Whether it was Senate Bill 7 that took away teacher seniority and tenure rights or the two-tier pension system or the HB512, the latest attack on teacher pensions. It’s all Madigan all the time.
“Why doesn’t anyone run against him,” my colleague asked?
The Southtown Star provided a hint:
House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) raised $2.6 million for the three campaign funds he controls during the past three months. Madigan now has a total of $4 million in cash, which puts him far ahead of anybody else. Four years ago (at the same point in our national and state election cycles), Madigan had $1.3 million in cash. There were no contribution caps four years ago.
The reference to contribution caps is to the so-called campaign finance reform that was passed in Illinois. Since it was passed by the very House that Madigan controls, it never represented a threat to his power or money.
Fred Klonsky 