UPDATE 2x: Madigan is no longer IL House Speaker …
UPDATE 1x: Wednesday morning at 10 am, Welch gathered 55 votes. He needs 60.
SPRINGFIELD – Chicago Crain's is reporting west suburban Democrat State Rep. Chris Welch (D-Westchester) is likely to be voted in as Speaker of the Illinois House – ending Speaker Mike Madigan's nearly 40 year grip on the Illinois House. The first vote will be made Wednesday as the 102nd General Assembly convenes at noon.
Madigan, who is the longest-serving leader of any state or federal legislative body in the history of the United States, having held the position for all but two years since 1983, is facing federal investigation concerning "the speaker and Commonwealth Edison lobbyists, contracts doled out by lobbyists to Madigan associates, and jobs for Madigan allies at various levels of state and local government throughout Illinois," Illinois Policy Institute reported in December 2019.
In addition, Crain’s Chicago Business reported in 2019 that federal authorities were believed to be investigating annual six-figure fundraisers for the Democratic Party of Illinois facilitated by ComEd.
Madigan has been the chairman of the Democrat Party's state organization since 1998.
Welch is viewed by some in Democrat circles as "Madigan 2.0."
Here's what Welch tweeted earlier this week:
Posted Tuesday morning, the House Black Caucus reportedly is going with Welch, but that can change …
