Metro East Sun

Dwight Kay views House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) as a “pay for play” artist who is head and shoulders above all others.

“The Chicago machine just keeps rolling and adding more wheels with Madigan as the leader of it all,” Kay told the Metro East Sun. “He has a bank account second to no other Democratic leader in the country, learning everything he knows from the first Mayor Daley. Now, he’s brought everything he learned in Chicago to Springfield and the general assembly.”

Kay points to Illinois News Network reports that Madigan recently took $768,000 in campaign contributions from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union (AFSCME) during an election cycle where he is running unopposed in the 22nd District as the latest example of the longtime Speaker’s suspect dealings.

Rep. Katie Stuart

“No one thinks that money was given by the union without strings being attached,” Kay said, noting that the donation comes at a time when AFSCME remains locked in bitter contract negotiations with Gov. Bruce Rauner and the two sides are as much as $3 billion apart in counter-offers, according to Wirepoints.

“By accepting that money, he’s obligated and obliged to do what the unions want and that’s how he’s preserved his relationship with them over all these years,” said Kay, who is running against Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) in the 112th District.

The Prairie State Wire recently reported Madigan donated $2.08 million to the campaigns of 25 state House candidates over a 24-day period in September.

“You can’t trust any candidate that takes that kind of money from Madigan because you can rest assured that the price he demanded for it is them agreeing to support whatever he puts forth in Springfield,” Kay said. “It all goes toward keeping Illinois the most corrupt state in the nation while also being the best run one for career politicians.”

Illinois’ 112th District includes Bethalto, Caseyville, Fairmont City, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, Shiloh and Swansea.