Batinick: Democrats might pay in 2022 if they reelect Madigan as speaker

State Rep. Mark Batinick again argued for the need to replace the powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan when the new General Assembly convenes next month.

Batinick, R-Plainfield, appeared on a Republican podcast this month to talk about the need for ethics reform at the state level. He argued such reforms would only come about if the chamber elected another speaker.

The Republican House member said he thought voters would punish Democrats at the ballot box in two years if Madigan retains power.

“If [House Democrats] are stupid enough to reelect the speaker and go down this path of same ol’, same ol’, I’m telling you it’s not going to be a good day for House Democrats in [2022],” he said.

Madigan’s prospects of earning another term as speaker remain unclear.

Batinick has been especially critical of Madigan since he was tied to, although not charged in connection with, a bribery scandal involving ComEd. He also criticized a committee formed to investigate Madigan’s alleged involvement in the scandal, which ended with Democrats on the panel voting not to charge him with wrongdoing.

“I didn’t have high hopes, but wow I didn’t think they could be as low as this where the investigation could be as fake as possible,” Batinick said on the podcast. “I didn’t think it would be this overtly bad that they would go this far to cover up the speaker.”

Batinick and a fellow Republican recently filed legislation aimed at allowing for residents to recall corrupt elected officials and legislative leaders.