Metro East Sun

Former Republican state House candidate Mike Babcock worries how much reform can truly come to Springfield as long as who he sees as the chief culprit of all the shenanigans remains in charge.  

“I think corruption is at an all-time high in Springfield with Mike Madigan at the helm,” Babcock told the Metro East Sun. “Nothing is going to change as long as he’s in charge and as long as he has his own troubles".

With the longtime House speaker now at the center of a federal corruption probe and a special House committee investigation looking into some of his more suspect conduct, Babcock laments a push by a group of GOP lawmakers to have a series of anti-corruption measures heard in a public setting before the full legislature figures to remain largely ceremonial.

“He’s not going to let anything come up because it wouldn’t be to his advantage,” Babcock added. “It’s going to take the federal government or Department of Justice to get him out of Springfield, to make him answer for the pay-for-play scheme he’s been involved in with ComEd and all the other Chicago corporations."

In another time and place, Babcock said he could see Republicans’ campaign of urging voters to sign off on a petition that could lead to such senate bills as allowing the attorney general to have the power to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate, indict and prosecute bribery and granting the legislative inspector general the authority to investigate members of the legislature without having to seek approval could work.

“All of these could be important steps but the truth is right now nothing happens in Springfield until we get Mike Madigan out,” he said. “It becomes more obvious every day that we need new leadership.”