Pritzker Shows He's Not The Boss By Refusing To Take On Madigan

CHICAGO — Gov. J.B. Pritzker is allegedly "furious" about corruption. At least that's what he keeps telling members of a friendly press corps that rarely pressures him to expound beyond his talking points.

When they ask Pritzker for his thoughts on ComEd's guilty plea on charges that implicate House Speaker Michael Madigan's political organization as the beneficiary in a years-long bribery scheme, the billionaire governor delivers a prepared soliloquy.

"I believe people who serve the public interest, people who get elected to public office, have a duty to be transparent and to live up to the integrity that’s demanded by the public for their public service,” Pritzker said Friday.

"[Madigan] needs to stand up and answer these questions because people have serious questions about those things and any public servant who isn’t willing to do that. And I’ve made that clear.”

What the governor hasn't articulated is the reason he's doesn't have the guts to give Madigan the tough-guy treatment he dolled out last year after the feds raided the office of former state Sen. Martin Sandoval.

[COMMENTARY]

Even before Sandoval was indicted, Pritzker quickly demanded that the senator — a political peon compared to mighty Madigan — give up his role as senate transportation committee chairman.

"While Senator Sandoval is under investigation it's in the best interest of our state that he no longer serve as chairman of the transportation committee," the governor said. "If he doesn't step aside he should be removed."

Sandoval ultimately pleaded guilty to being involved in a scheme to collect more than $250,000 in bribes, and is now a cooperating witness as part of the wide-ranging corruption probe of which the house speaker appears to be a target.

Sandoval's graft looks like pocket change compared to the jobs, contracts and cash valued at $150 million that ComEd admitted doling out to folks beloved by Madigan to help secure legislative benefits.

On top of that, the feds also served Madigan with a subpoena seeking records related to his dealings with AT&T, Rush University Medical Center, Walgreens and his top political confidants, widening the net on their corruption probe.

Madigan hasn't been charged with a crime, maintains his innocence, and has publicly refused to give up his position as the state's most powerful politician.

"I understand that the last couple of weeks have been difficult for our caucus and party, and I have had many candid conversations with members of the Democratic caucus on this matter. The feedback is positive and demonstrates continued support for me and my leadership roles. I have no plans to resign. I have never made a legislative decision with improper motives and any claim otherwise is unfounded," Madigan said in a statement.

"I will continue to lead the effort to defeat Donald Trump, expand the Illinois congressional delegation and the majorities in the Illinois House and Senate.”

And Pritzker's fine with that. He sticks to his cowardly demand: Madigan "must resign" ... if the allegations are proven true.

He offers no explanation as to why holding Madigan to a lesser standard than Sandoval — who the governor said deserved to be stripped of influence because it was in the "state's best interest" — is good for Illinois.

Folks in America's most corrupt state know that it's not.

We're just watching political theater to cover an embarrassing truth about a gutless billionaire allegedly "furious" about political corruption, but too terrified to do anything about it.

Pritzker's just the governor. Madigan's the boss.

Mark Konkol, recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting, wrote and produced the Peabody Award-winning series, "Time: The Kalief Browder Story." He was a producer, writer and narrator for the "Chicagoland" docu-series on CNN, and a consulting producer on the Showtime documentary, "16 Shots.

More from Mark Konkol:

• A Proud 'Thunderbird' Wonders: Is My High School Mascot Racist?
• Of Course, Chicago Should Put Columbus Statue Back On Display
• Kanye West Campaign Paid $10 A Signature To Meet Ballot Deadline
• Did Pritzker's $10 Million, Clout Jobs Buy Madigan's Influence?
• No Mail For Weeks: Is Postal Service 'Falling Apart' In Chicago?
• Could New Twist On Recycled Strike Force Strategy Slow Shootings?
• Pritzker's $56 Million For 'Fair Tax' Values Politics Over People
• Tammy Duckworth's Amazing Life Story Comes With A Warning Label
• Skeptics Whisper Worries Chicago Top Cop Is Unprepared For Crisis
• Should Companies Pay Up For Using Racially Tinged Brand Mascots?