Yesterday, a federal jury convicted the right-hand man to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, finding Tim Mapes guilty on charges of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice for lying to a grand jury investigating Madigan and his inner circle.
“For whatever reason in his heart and his mind, (Mapes) chose loyalty over the truth,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur said during closing arguments Wednesday.
For Illinois House Republicans, it is an opportunity to act in the statehouse. Two House Republican members held a press conference yesterday to emphasize the need for greater ethics in the state legislature. In addition, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie called on Madigan’s successor, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, to act on ethics-related bills proposed by GOP members this spring. “It would be appalling if Speaker Welch did not move forward legislation House Republicans have filed to address ethics and instill public trust in our government,” McCombie said.
Read the whole story including more from Leader McCombie here.