SPRINGFIELD – It takes losing a job for some people to spill their guts about their bosses, and that may be the case of outgoing State Rep. Mike Smiddy (D-Hillsdale), who told a Quad City television station this week just what he thinks of House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Smiddy said Madigan has "outlived his usefulness in Springfield."
The video of the News 8 interview is no longer posted on the station's website, but a major part of interview content remains.
[Smiddy] says Madigan's control of the House stops any major legislative reforms like overhauling the way the state redistricts political boundaries.
"As long as you have the Speaker controlling what gets out of the rules (committee) for legislation, I don't see it coming anywhere close to hitting the floor."
And as for term limits, forget about it.
"It's not about getting rid of your local legislator," Smiddy believes.
"It's all geared toward getting rid of Madigan and in some respects I don't think that's a bad idea. I think he's kinda outlived his usefulness in Springfield."
For the most part, Illinois Democrats in the State House are tightly controlled by House Speaker Mike Madigan – who, as the chairman of the state's Democrat Party holds tight reins on who gets campaign help.
Smiddy must have determined he's done with politics in Illinois after four years in the Illinois House. He can be sure that he'll never return to state politics as long as Speaker Madigan remains in power.
Savanna Mayor Tony McCombie, his Republican challenger, will be sworn into office later this month. The Illinois Republican Party grabbed the now-missing video and posted on their YouTube page:
