Convicted ex-Speaker Mike Madigan sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. Convicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan was sentenced to 7.5 years in federal prison and a $2.5 million fine as his public corruption case concluded on Friday, June 13. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey ruled that Madigan lied repeatedly and willfully on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense. Madigan is due to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on October 13, pending an appeal.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker said at the sentencing hearing: “Governors, they came and went over the years. But Madigan stayed. His power and his presence remained constant. He had every opportunity to set the standard for honest government. But instead…he fit right into the mold of yet another corrupt leader in Illinois.”
In February, Madigan was found guilty in federal court on 10 felony counts that centered on bribery, bribery conspiracy, and wire fraud.
Madigan’s long-running reign as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives ended with his ouster as Speaker in January 2021 amid a federal bribery investigation. He resigned his legislative seat one month later. Madigan had served in the legislature for more than 50 years, 36 of those years as Speaker of the House. For much of that time he simultaneously led the Illinois Democratic Party, tightening his stranglehold not just on legislators, but on all Democratic elected officials in Illinois.
In March 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Madigan on racketeering and bribery charges. The 23-count indictment accused Madigan of leading a criminal enterprise to enhance his political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his political allies and associates.
Madigan’s trial began in October 2024. Closing arguments wrapped up on January 28 and the jury began deliberations one day later. The jury deliberated for 64 hours over the course of two weeks before returning a partial verdict, finding Madigan guilty on multiple corruption charges.
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie issued the following statement in response to Madigan’s sentencing:
“Today’s sentencing of former Speaker Mike Madigan is a stark and shameful reminder of the corruption that has plagued Illinois government for far too long. Justice was served—but the damage to public trust runs deep. Sentences like this matter. They are designed to deter bad behavior and prove that no one is above the law.
“But deterrence isn’t enough—we need action. That means passing real, enforceable reforms—not more political theater. I’m calling on Democrats to stop the stall tactics and join us in advancing common-sense, bipartisan ethics reforms. The people of Illinois deserve better than backroom deals and broken trust.
“Let’s show the public that integrity still matters in Illinois.”
As Speaker of the House, Mike Madigan directed a decade-long criminal enterprise that shook down an Illinois utility company for jobs and cash for his friends and allies.
Madigan’s trial revealed that he was more interested in making money for himself and his political cronies than he was in serving the public. Federal prosecutors called his criminal enterprise the “Make Mike Madigan Money Plan.”
Dating as far back as the 2020 Special Investigating Committee, House Republicans have demanded ethics reforms to clean up state government. As chairman of that investigating committee, now-Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch shut down the investigation and ignored testimony that implicated Madigan in criminal behavior. He even called the committee a “sham” and a “political show trial.”
Just like he did with the Special Investigating Committee that was supposed to look into Madigan’s wrongdoing, Speaker Welch has stifled House Republican efforts to curb corruption in this state.
House Republicans have introduced legislation that would strengthen Illinois’ ethics laws and stamp out public corruption.
Democrats have refused to call a single ethics reform bill in this General Assembly as they continue to ignore the very real problem of public corruption in Illinois. Even after Madigan’s conviction, the House Ethics & Elections Committee failed to hold a single hearing on proposed ethics reform legislation.
Republicans have sponsored bills to stop the revolving door for legislators looking to become lobbyists and legislation to end the practice of legislators serving as lobbyists for municipal and county governments.
Republicans have sponsored legislation banning public officials from using campaign cash to fund their legal defense in public corruption trials. Madigan used millions in cash he raised while he was Speaker to mount his legal defense.
The people of Illinois deserve a government they can trust. Unfortunately, Democrats have repeatedly stopped Republican efforts to clean up state government and enact tough and lasting reforms to our ethics laws.
Mike Madigan will soon be in prison, where he belongs. Justice has finally been served, but the stain of Madigan’s corruption will hang over Illinois government as long as do-nothing Democrats continue to refuse to work with Republicans to end public corruption.
IMMIGRATION
Pritzker grilled by Congress over Illinois’ failed sanctuary state policies. Governor JB Pritzker appeared before the House Oversight Committee in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, where he was grilled by Congressional members over Illinois’ sanctuary state laws.
Over the course of the eight-hour hearing, Gov. Pritzker and the Democratic governors of fellow sanctuary states Minnesota and New York were questioned about their support for failed sanctuary state laws that prohibit local law enforcement agencies from working with federal authorities to detain and deport dangerous criminal illegal aliens.
Illinois House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement in response to Gov. Pritzker’s testimony:
“Governor Pritzker’s sanctuary state policies have failed—and now he’s in Washington trying to answer for Illinois’ sanctuary state disaster.
“Since 2022, Illinois taxpayers have shelled out over $3 billion on services for illegal immigrants, while families here struggle with affordability, rising crime, and crumbling infrastructure.
“His administration just passed the largest budget in state history—stuffed with hidden items like $1.3 million for a migrant shelter that was never built, $40 million for Welcoming Centers, and $110 million more for healthcare for illegal immigrants. Millions are being funneled into programs that put illegal immigrants ahead of our own residents.”
Under Governor Pritzker’s reign, Illinois has become the go-to destination for illegal immigrants, where they can receive platinum healthcare, housing, food, and more - all on the taxpayer’s dime.
Illinois law bans local authorities from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when they try to locate dangerous illegal immigrants.
Governor Pritzker’s policies prioritize the protection of illegal immigrants over the safety of Illinois citizens. There are at least 530,000 illegal immigrants living in Illinois today, which costs Illinois taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
The migrant crisis in Illinois is a direct result of Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson recklessly inviting unvetted, illegal immigrants to our state.
The billions of taxpayer dollars being spent on undocumented immigrants directly takes away funds that could be used to support essential programs for all Illinois citizens, including seniors and those most economically and socially vulnerable. Illinois is one of only five states in the nation that provides Medicare-like benefits, at taxpayer cost, to undocumented immigrants.
Governor Pritzker is running around the country campaigning for President while folks in Illinois know the devastating effects his failed leadership continues to have on the state.
The State of Illinois is currently being sued by the Department of Justice because of Illinois’ sanctuary state policies, with threats to lose federal funding.
No matter how hard Governor Pritzker tries to deflect blame on seemingly anyone else for his failures, it is his reckless leadership that has led to Illinois becoming one of the top destinations for illegal immigrants.
Governor Pritzker and Mayor Johnson pander to their political base, passing out-of-touch immigration reforms, and then when those policies ultimately fail, they spread false information, withhold key details, blame anyone but themselves and refuse to answer basic questions about the impact of these policies.
As long as Illinois continues its poor public policies that put illegal immigrants above Illinois families, we will continue to see families and businesses leaving this state in droves. This should not be a partisan issue: the safety and economic prosperity of Illinois citizens should be our first priority.
BUDGET
Democrats’ New $100 Million ‘Trump-Proofing Fund’ Included in Budget. The FY 2026 budget passed by Democrats gives Governor Pritzker unprecedented spending power, including a $100 million slush fund ‘just in case’ the federal government withholds funding from other programs. This means the Governor has the authority to declare a ‘state of emergency’ as he sees fit, with the power to sweep away $100 million from other funds at his discretion.
As listed in the Budget Implementation Bill (BIMP), there are 25 funds available for the Governor to raid, including the State Pheasant Fund, Horse Racing Fund, Cemetery Oversight Licensing and Disciplinary Fund, and Emergency Public Health Fund, just to name a few.
Throughout his tenure, Governor Pritzker has abused his Executive Authority. The Governor issued over 40 COVID-19 disaster proclamations, starting in 2020, and extended his emergency powers for more than three years from when the pandemic started. The state of Illinois was governed by unilateral control and without General Assembly approval during that time.
These 25 funds were created with specific goals and uses in mind and funded largely by those who participate in related activities. Governor Pritzker should set politics aside, engage in bipartisan conversations, and stop raiding funds to continue his war on the President.
Instead of continuing to fight Washington, it’s time for Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats to make an effort to comply with federal policies. It is beyond irresponsible to jeopardize needed grants, programs, and funds due to playing political games. State lawmakers work for all the citizens of this state, and engaging in weekly shouting matches and standoffs with the federal government is a terrible method of governing.
CGFA report shows declining State revenue. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability’s (CGFA) revenue report for May, the next-to-last month of FY25, indicates a continued slowing in State income tax receipts. This source of State income, which has become more and more important in recent years as other state tax revenues have stagnated, declined on a year-over-year basis in May 2025. Individual income tax payments to the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) were down by $56 million as compared with May 2024, from $2,228 million in the year-earlier period to $2,172 million in May 2025.
This shortfall in State income tax payments was matched by shortfalls in other key State income sources, such as State taxes on cigarettes, cannabis, and casino gambling. In fact, Illinois’ overall general revenue cash flow from all sources would have declined in May 2025, compared to one year earlier, had it not been for a $250 million transfer from the Capital Projects Fund to State general revenues. This revenue situation, which comes at a time of continued and intensifying upward pressure on mandated State spending on items such as pensions and health care, signals serious problems ahead for the State budget in FY26. The FY26 budget will go into effect on July 1, 2025. Based on the budget and revenue bills passed on the May 31st deadline by the Democratic majority, the executive branch will attempt to hold the FY26 budget together with various short-term tactics. These include fund sweeps, shorting the State’s Rainy Day Fund, and delaying payments into the Road Fund, to sweep these funds into the General Revenue Fund.
ENERGY
Meta strikes power agreement with Constellation nuclear plant. Meta Platforms said it has struck an agreement with Constellation Energy to keep one of the utility's reactors in Illinois operating for 20 years, in the Big Tech company's first such deal with a nuclear power plant.
Big Tech companies are looking to secure electricity as U.S. power demand rises for the first time in two decades on demand from artificial intelligence and data centers.
The deal will help keep open Constellation's Clinton Clean Energy Center which may have been forced to shut after the expiry in 2027 of an Illinois ratepayer-funded zero emissions credit program that awards benefits for generation of power virtually free of carbon emissions.
It depends on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission renewing the plant's license, after Constellation last year applied to renew it through 2047. Meta's power purchase will replace the Illinois support and help with re-licensing and operations.
The deal could serve as a model for Big Tech companies to support existing nuclear plants while they also plan to power data centers with new nuclear and other energy sources. […]
The deal also allows Constellation to expand Clinton, which has a capacity of 1,121 megawatts, by 30 MW. The plant powers the equivalent of about 800,000 U.S. homes.
FLAG DAY
Celebrating Flag Day on June 14. Flag Day, celebrated annually on June 14th, commemorates the adoption of the United States flag by the Continental Congress on this day in 1777.
Flag Day is the day we honor the American flag and reflect on the ideals it represents. Flag Day is a reminder of our shared history and the values that bind us together as a nation.
This is especially important considering the troubling events taking place around the country right now. This week, we witnessed violent protests in Los Angeles and other cities, where rioters burned the American flag while waving the flag of a foreign nation.
These disgraceful actions underscore the importance of honoring Old Glory and all it represents.
House Republicans stand in strong support of our law enforcement and armed services members who are serving and protecting communities across America.