McHenry Times

State Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) is keeping close watch over what he hopes will soon be a close to the four-decade Mike Madigan saga in Springfield.

“I know that’s what a lot of people are hoping,” Ugaste told the McHenty Times. “But at the end of the day, you can never count the (House) speaker out when it comes to finding a way to keep his grip.”

At the same time that the longtime House speaker is vowing to seek another term, 18 Democrat lawmakers are anxiously distancing themselves from him as fallout from the ongoing ComEd scandal and federal corruption probe it has sparked continues to play out. The latest shoe to drop includes the indictment of four individuals with ties to Madigan, including longtime associate and lobbyist Michael McClain, who now faces bribery charges stemming from a years-long, pay-to-play scheme in which perks were allegedly steered to Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation.

“I would think you can take what these Democrats have said at face value,” Ugaste added. “But at the same time, you’ve really never see more than one of them come against him in this way at the same time and we know how many of their careers in politics abruptly ended right after that. I would hope this is enough for the reform movement needed in Springfield to start in earnest."

Still, Ugaste said he doesn’t expect Madigan to make any changes easy.

“I’ve never known the Speaker to go quietly and I don’t see him doing so this time,” he said. “He’s still Mike Madigan and I don’t think anything’s changed about the way he looks to operate.”

In the end, Ugaste remains optimistic that the people of illinois have had enough.

“If not, I don’t know what it will take to get people to understand this is what’s needed," he added. "What’s happening in Springfield right now is beyond what anyone wants to tolerate.”