Peoria Standard

Former Speaker Mike Madigan's Chief of Staff, Tim Mapes, has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for making false declarations before a grand jury and obstruction of justice. The lenient sentence of community service, which was requested by Mapes' defense attorneys, was denied by Judge John Kness in the Northern District. This sentencing highlights the need for tighter ethics laws, a cause that House Republicans have been advocating for.

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie has made ethics reform a priority for House Republicans this year. At a recent news conference in Springfield, McCombie emphasized the importance of passing ethics reform to hold elected officials to a higher standard. "We cannot continue to rely on federal prosecution to ensure ethical behavior among elected officials," said McCombie.

One of the key ethics reform bills being sponsored by House Republicans is HB 4119, which aims to prevent defendants from using campaign contributions to fund their legal defense. This bill is particularly relevant in the case of Madigan, who has used millions from his campaign fund to pay for his legal defense. Deputy Minority Leader Ryan Spain has been a strong advocate for these reforms, stating, "Let's continue to hold corrupt politicians accountable going forward in Illinois."

State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, who serves as both House Republican Floor Leader and the House Republican Spokesperson on the House Judiciary and Criminal Law Committee, emphasized the importance of honest cooperation in investigations. Windhorst stated, "No one is above the law. In the case of Tim Mapes lying to the Department of Justice in the Madigan investigation, we see just how deep the allegiance between the two men was."

The sentencing of Mapes is just one of many convictions secured by federal prosecutors in Chicago in 2023. These convictions include former Commonwealth Edison employees who conspired to bribe Madigan, Chicago businessman James T. Weiss who bribed state lawmakers, and former Chicago Democratic Alderman Edward Burke who was convicted of racketeering, bribery, and attempted extortion.

In response to these ongoing corruption cases, House Republicans have filed a number of ethics reform proposals. These include House Bill 4119, which prohibits elected officials from using political campaign donations to pay for criminal defense, House Bill 1277, which suspends benefit or annuity payments to members charged with a felony, and House Bill 4286, which implements a three-year revolving door ban on lobbying.

The sentencing of Tim Mapes serves as a reminder of the importance of ethics reform and the need to hold corrupt politicians accountable. House Republicans are committed to pushing for these reforms to restore trust in government and ensure that elected officials are held to a higher standard.