McHenry Times

Now that Mike Madigan has been shown the door as House Speaker, state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) is pointing to him as an example of what Springfield should never again allow.

“This day has been a long time coming,” Ugaste told the McHenry Times. “There’s no reason anyone should be able to amass that level of power and control over our state like that again.”

After a nearly 40-year run, lawmakers used the recent lame-duck session to officially oust Madigan and install state Rep. Emmanuel “Chris” Welch as his successor, WGN reported. The dramatic shakeup comes as Madigan, the state’s longest-serving lawmaker, is implicated in benefiting from the still unfolding ComEd scandal in exchange for favorable legislation.

Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) | Photo Courtesy of Emanuel Welch's website

Ugaste insists he’s now just hoping Welch proves to be who he lays claim to.

“He talks about wanting to put Illinois first and work on things in a bipartisan way,” Ugaste told the McHenry Times. “I’m just hoping that’s really the case. I will say the outreach I’ve seen so soon has been welcoming and I’m hopeful we can continue working together going forward.”

While he said he he’s happy about the number of democrats that stepped forward to finally stand up to Madigan and not rubber-stamp his reelection, Ugaste said only time will tell if members are truly interested in changing the tenor in Springfield.  

“They still have a supermajority,” he said. “The new rules Speaker Welch actually puts in place will tell us a lot about the direction they want to move in.”

Count Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider among those not sold on the idea of Welch being the man for the job of cleaning up Springfield, the Illinois GOP said. He referred to Welch's close ties to Madigan and history of personal troubles that include having faced multiple accusations in court documents of harassing, assaulting and retaliating against women.

“House Democrats have chosen to go from Mike Madigan, the most corrupt politician in America, to Rep. Chris Welch, a top Madigan lieutenant who has been credibly accused by multiple women in court documents of harassment, assault, and retaliation,” he said, the Illinois GOP reported. “It’s now clear that House Democrats are doubling down on allowing Madigan’s corrupt machine to continue running state government.”