Michael Madigan has been convicted on 10 counts of bribery, bribery conspiracy and wire fraud. He could be sentenced to up to 20 years for his crimes, and follows in the footsteps of other big names who were convicted of corruption, like former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Ald. Ed Burke. In fact, Chicago continues as the most corrupt metropolitan region in the country and the third most corrupt state. Since 1976, more than 2,200 Illinois politicians have gone to federal prison for corruption.
Simply getting rid of “a rotten apple” won’t cure our problems. We have to fix the apple barrel.
Madigan was convicted of a multi-year effort to pass Commonwealth Edison-related legislation, which likely cost customers millions of dollars, in exchange for hiring Madigan flunkies as do-nothing consultants. He was also convicted of trying to appoint Ald. Danny Solis to a state board after Solis steered business to Madigan’s law firm. U.S. attorneys proved that he masterminded a corrupt scheme to defraud taxpayers and fatten his own wallet and those of his allies and accomplices.
The good news is that after major corruption convictions there is often a demand for reform. After Blagojevich was convicted, his successor, Gov. Pat Quinn, appointed an ethics commission that made reform recommendations. Because of political pressure, some were adopted.
Already good government groups like Reform for Illinois, Change Illinois, Common Cause, and the Better Government Association have called for the state legislature to pass pending major reform bills to empower the Legislative Inspector General’s office, improve lobbying regulations, reduce abuse of our campaign finance system in Illinois, and enforce conflict of interest rules which Madigan clearly violated. I expect other groups like the League of Women Voters, Independent Voters – Independent Precinct Organization, and media to push for their adoption as well.
There is also important ethics reform legislation in the Chicago City Council, including, most importantly, public financing of aldermanic elections. The mayor and Council members have kept it bottled up in committee but now is the time to pass it.
What counts most is public support. Do you want us to continue to lead the nation in corruption convictions or are you fed up?
The message should be simple. Any official who fails to vote for ethics reform at either the city or state level won’t get our vote and will be defeated at the next election.
Dick Simpson, University of Illinois Chicago professor emeritus, former Chicago City Council member, expert witness in Michael Madigan trial
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City’s housing decisions ‘limit what Chicago could be’
Ald. Brian Hopkins recently announced a “compromise” development for 349 new homes in Old Town, following his rejection of an earlier proposal with 500 units. I strongly support the development, but the loss of 151 units and the exhausting process it took to get here encapsulate why Chicago is facing a crisis of housing affordability.
Hopkins’s approval comes only after more than three years of negotiations, traffic studies, and community meetings. Why? Put simply, a vocal group of largely wealthy homeowners argued that this building was “out of character” with the surrounding neighborhood, including the many adjacent and similarly sized towers. Hopkins held out his support while negotiations proceeded. But even though these groups received significant concessions toward their stated goals, including a shorter building, fewer overall units, and a higher share of larger units, they remain implacably opposed.
It does not have to be this way. Elsewhere in Hopkins’s 2nd Ward, a 396-unit tower in Lincoln Park recently went from proposal to City Council approval in less than a year.
Unfortunately, many of our city’s housing decisions mirror the former pattern. By favoring smaller developments, fewer homes, and fewer new neighbors, we are limiting what Chicago could be. We create a future with fewer customers to support local businesses. Fewer visitors to parks and cultural institutions. Fewer riders for our public transit system. Fewer affordable housing options for low-income residents. And fewer tax dollars for public sector budgets — money that will otherwise have to come from existing taxpayers.
In this moment of tremendous concern about the intentions of the federal government, Chicago should ensure as many current and future residents as possible can benefit from the rights and protections of our city and state. By embracing the larger version of this project, and doing so sooner, we could have had 151 additional new homes. We could have had 30 more designated affordable units. And we could have sent a signal that future developments would be embraced, rather than subjected to a gauntlet of uncertain outcomes.
I hope that in future, Hopkins and the entire City Council will make it easier to build desperately needing housing. Only then can Chicago truly be a place that welcomes all who choose to call it home.
Daniel Comeaux, River North, 2nd Ward
Trump will hurt Illinois
President Donald Trump’s attack on the power of the purse is a direct assault on the authority of Congress and is blatantly unconstitutional.
It is also cruel and will, if not reversed, result in very real suffering in every community in Illinois. It will halt and hurt programs in health care, education, child care, elder care, disaster relief, mental health, housing, loans for small businesses and small farmers, Meals on Wheels, and veterans’ benefits. This will have a devastating impact on our families, cities and towns, small businesses, and our economy.
This will potentially cut thousands of jobs in our state, will mean higher costs for families and harm small businesses.
Sen. Durbin, Sen. Tammy Duckworth and every Illinois representative in Congress must publicly and forcefully reject this assault on what is supposed to be a co-equal branch of government. Our democracy hangs in the balance. They must forcefully oppose the dissolution of the republic.
Chris Pado, Third Lake
One size doesn’t fit all with rezoning on Broadway
As a resident of Edgewater, I want more housing on Broadway; especially more affordable housing.
But Broadway has two sides. The west side of Broadway abuts a historic, residential neighborhood of two- and three-story residences. Building highrises on the west side will literally overshadow the character of the neighborhood and result in unbelievable congestion from car and truck traffic. That is why voters of the 48th. Ward overwhelmingly approved a 2006 referendum to restrict building height to four stories on the west side of Broadway.
Meanwhile, the east side of Broadway abuts the Red Line “L” tracks and offers 250-foot deep lots. This side could easily accommodate 20-story buildings (double the height now proposed by the rezoning). Taller buildings could easily double the proposed increase of affordable apartments, promoting more business activity and CTA ridership. The 250-foot deep lots would allow for building curb cuts, helping to mitigate car and delivery truck traffic from the increased density.
The city’s Planning Department developed their rezoning plan with minimal input from residents and their one-size-fits-all rezoning will damage our neighborhood while not fully realizing the potential of change.
Mark Kaulas, Edgewater
More tasks for the mayor
Mayor Johnson should add e few more things to his 2025 To-Do list. Be more transparent, find more revenue to avoid any tax increase, give the Chicago Fire Department the contract they deserve, stop pandering to the Chicago Teachers Union and give them a contract the city can afford, and when you replace the Chicago Public Schools CEO find someone outside the state of Illinois to avoid the toxic political environment here so they can be more independent. Ok?
Richard Barber, Mount Greenwood
Musk attacks oversight to benefit himself
As many of you may already know, President Donald Trump controversially dismissed 17 inspectors general from various federal agencies, raising concerns about accountability and oversight in government. Simultaneously, aides for billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk attempted to gain unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s intricate payment systems. This breach of trust and protocol resulted in the unexpected resignation of a high-ranking Treasury official, David A. Lebryk.
But what is it about Musk’s involvement that raises eyebrows? He is an unelected figure who, through an executive order issued by Trump, established a new cryptocurrency known as Doge—seemingly a move aimed at revolutionizing digital finance. Musk claims he wants to minimize unnecessary governmental expenditures and eliminate regulatory red tape that he believes hampers innovation. Eliminating regulatory red tape primarily serves the interests of Musk, particularly as the leader of companies like Tesla and SpaceX that have frequently had conflict with different regulatory agencies. Tesla has maneuvered through automotive regulations and stringent environmental standards. Meanwhile, SpaceX has faced rigorous aerospace regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration. In this intricate dance of compliance and innovation, Musk is tirelessly shaping the landscape to align with his agenda.
For people who align themselves with Trump and his incompetent team because of personal beliefs or lack of understanding, it’s important to recognize that every aspect of our environment—from the water we drink to the air we inhale—is influenced by proper regulation and oversight from competent authorities. The regulatory system is vital in balancing economic development and environmental protection. Deregulation can lead to a focus on short-term financial gains, potentially compromising long-term goals related to environmental sustainability. This shift could hinder efforts to combat climate change and safeguard our natural resources effectively.
Unlike affluent figures such as Mark Zuckerberg, who have the means to construct elaborate underground shelters, the majority of us do not enjoy such financial advantages. While our perspectives on which political party to champion might vary, it is crucial to ensure that our regulatory bodies are steered by seasoned professionals who are deeply devoted to the core tenets of democracy.
April Jones, Streeterville
Fight back against fossil fuels
Money talks. Taking state pension funds out of companies that invest in fossil fuels is an expression of our values. Do we want global warming, which causes deaths from heat waves, flooded basements, and reduced harvests from heat-stressed crops, or shall we source our electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar?
Even with His Royal Highness King Donald I’s rollback of climate action funding, we retain power at the state level. Call your Illinois representative and senator and tell them you support Illinois public pension funds divesting from fossil fuels, by sponsoring the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act.
Go a step further, and join one of the grassroots organizations mobilizing for this bill, such as 350Chicago, The Climate Reality Project, or Third Act Illinois.
Don Wedd, Hyde Park
Senate, beware ‘twin emperors’ Trump, Musk
The Republicans in Congress need to wake up, see what is happening to them and stop it before it is too late. It’s bad enough that President Donald Trump is trying to take control of all aspects of the government including their authority. Now he is sharing power with the, at very least, eccentric Elon Musk. It reminds me of Gladiator 2 with the twin emperors of Rome.
If they don’t watch out they will become as impotent as the Senate was in the time of the emperors.
Joyce Porter, Oak Park