House Speaker Madigan releases statement saying he plans to be a candidate for re-election in January
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CHICAGO - House Speaker Michael Madigan says he will be a candidate for re-election come January.
Madigan released a statement Friday night, claiming to have significant support from caucus members.
This, despite a growing loss of support from democratic legislators.
On Thursday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said taxpayers “don’t deserve a political circus” when he gave Madigan a choice: Answer questions about a federal bribery investigation which implicates him, or give up the gavel after three decades of iron-grip control.
Madigan has been implicated in a ComEd bribery case, but not charged.
He has held the speakership for all but two years since 1983.
In the full statement, Madigan said:
"The decision on the next speaker of the Illinois House will be made at a caucus, after a full discussion of the issues facing our state and the qualifications of the candidates. I plan to be a candidate for speaker, and today I confirmed that I continue to have support from a significant number of House Democratic caucus members."