SPRINGFIELD-The state Republican Party teed off Monday on House Speaker Michael Madigan for $97,000 one of his campaign committees received from a major Illinois union on the same day pension-reform legislation went down the tubes during a special legislative session last Friday.
The money to Democratic Majority, the committee Madigan uses to fund House races, came last Friday from SEIU Healthcare Illinois and SEIU Illinois Council.
“Is this a quid pro quo? Connect the dots,” said Pat Brady, chairman of the Illinois Republican, in a prepared statement.
“After being a major part of the problem for over 30 years, did anyone really believe that Mike Madigan would get an extreme makeover and actually do something against his labor boss buddies?”
SEIU is one of the most prolific campaign fundraisers among unions in Illinois and represents home health care workers, though those union members aren’t directly impacted by the flameout of a pension deal in Springfield because they aren’t employed by state government. But the union does represent employees in the Secretary of State’s office and at the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.
“I’m not aware their employees would be in the state systems,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown told the Chicago Sun-Times while ridiculing Monday’s state GOP attack.
“I’m not aware of any contribution from SEIU. I haven’t seen what Mr. Brady is saying. I don’t spend a lot of time on what he says,” Brown said. “Usually he’s not accurate.”
