The
nasty and brutish Statehouse war is officially over for everyone but House
Speaker Michael Madigan.
The
House Republicans made a big stink last week. It was totally expected. They
were upset with House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie's explanation for
why she did not immediately inform the House impeachment committee that US Sen.
Roland Burris had submitted a new and highly explosive sworn affidavit. The
affidavit created a media feeding frenzy because it raised serious questions
about Burris' truthfulness about his appointment to the Senate by former Gov.
Rod Blagojevich.
What
wasn't expected is the way Speaker Madigan reacted to the minority Republicans.
Madigan ordered his Rules Committee to pop a Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo)
resolution onto the floor which asked for an investigation by the Sangamon
County State's Attorney, who is already looking into whether Sen. Burris
committed perjury during his impeachment committee testimony and via his
affidavits.
The
Franks resolution asked the state's attorney to look into allegations made by
Blagojevich on WLS Radio several days ago. Blagojevich claimed that a
legislative leader asked him to find a state job for a legislator's secretary
after the legislator's wife discovered the two were having an affair.
Cross
immediately saw the move for exactly what it was: A blatant attempt to punish
the House Republicans for speaking out about an issue they believed to be
important. Cross excoriated Madigan and the Democrats for bringing Franks'
resolution to the floor and threatened to retaliate, vowing to ask the state's
attorney to investigate everything that Blagojevich has ever said and ever will
say about hanky panky by House Democrats.
Since
Cross took the bait, pretty much everyone under the dome immediately assumed
that he was the legislative leader mentioned by Blagojevich, even though he
later denied it.
But
the Madigan trick worked. The emphasis was now off Currie and on a potential
sex scandal involving a legislator. And because of that, the big issue on many
minds last week was where Madigan's move might eventually lead.
Legislators
are human beings. They are therefore flawed. Attacking one member for an
egregious personal mistake could open up the biggest can of worms imaginable. I
mean, seriously, are they now going to start outing legislators, statewide
officials and top staff who've succumbed to various human temptations? Can Madigan truly think he can
sanctimoniously throw the first stone knowing what he does (and what others do)
about his own people and what he has done to help them solve their little
problems or extricate themselves from sticky situations? If he asks, I'd be happy to remind him.
Since
the nuclear option could destroy so many lives, things will probably stop right
where they are. Sinners can breathe easy.
The
real problem here is that Madigan doesn't seem to realize that the war is over.
His former enemies Blagojevich and former Senate President Emil Jones are gone.
The new Senate President is the godfather of Madigan's only son. The new
governor is so eager to avoid Blagojevich's many mistakes that he appears to be
more than willing to bow to Madigan's power. Last year's election resulted in
Madigan controlling 71 seats, just one short of a super-majority, so the
Republicans have been thoroughly defeated.
Yet,
Madigan continues to punish everyone he believes are his enemies. House
Democrats who allied themselves with Blagojevich have been whacked but good.
The onerous and oppressive House rules, originally put in place by the
Republicans to keep Madigan from waging guerilla warfare when he was in the
minority party, have been left unchanged. And the pathetically powerless
Republicans who dared defy Madigan last year by working with Blagojevich on the
capital construction plan are being stomped at almost every turn.
Blagojevich's
horrid legacy is being purged in the Senate. Democrats and Republicans are
attempting to work with each other for the first time in years. Senate
President John Cullerton even set up a bipartisan dinner event for Senators and
their spouses. And he has loosened his office's stranglehold on power.
But
Blagojevich's ghost reigns supreme in the House. It's like he never left. He
can still control events from afar, as was amply demonstrated last week.
Rich
Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and
thecapitolfaxblog.com.