Lisa Madigan

GOP Candidates for Attorney General: Gary Grasso and Erika Harold

David E. Smith — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 17:00:45 +0000

Written by John Biver and Dave Smith

In a previous article, we covered the crowded Democratic Party primary for Illinois Attorney General, so now we turn to the two-way race for Republicans.

As with the Democrats, the Republicans are talking a lot about using the office to combat corruption — something the 4-term incumbent Lisa Madigan has been roundly criticized for failing to do. As noted previously, the fact that her father is Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan is often seen as the reason for that seeming lack of effort.… Continue Reading

The Crowded (and Contentious) Democratic Party Race for Attorney General

David E. Smith — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 13:45:36 +0000

Written by John Biver

There are more Democratic Party candidates for attorney general (8) than there are for governor (6). Speaker Michael Madigan’s daughter, Lisa Madigan, retiring after the end of her fourth term, has held the office since first being elected in 2002.

The candidates are State Rep. Scott Drury, Sharon Fairley, Aaron Goldstein, Renato Mariotti, State Sen. Kwame Raoul, Nancy Rotering, Jesse Ruiz, and former governor Pat Quinn.… Continue Reading

Former Miss America Wants to Unseat Lisa Madigan as Illinois Attorney General

David E. Smith — Thu, 17 Aug 2017 09:00:41 +0000

Written by Dan McCaleb

Former Miss America Erika Harold announced Tuesday that she plans to seek the GOP nomination for Illinois attorney general with hopes of taking on Lisa Madigan next fall.

An attorney from Urbana, Harold in 2012 and 2014 unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Congress in Illinois’ 13th District.

Harold is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She says she entered the Miss America pageant to help fund her graduate education at Harvard Law School.… Continue Reading

It’s Just A Game, State Workers

Admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 10:00:40 +0000

Written by Pat Hughes

It’s bad enough that, after decades of Mike Madigan’s leadership, the state can’t pay its bills. But now, his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, wants to take away the ability of state workers to pay their own bills.

Throughout the bitter dispute over the state budget, Madigan-Nemesis Governor Bruce Rauner has worked to keep the state government running so that core services are not completely shut down. The Governor has made clear that paying state workers for work that they do, while working to pass a balanced budget, is a top priority.… Continue Reading

IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s ‘Friends and Family’ $1 Million Patronage Pay Problem(s)

David E. Smith — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 13:00:59 +0000

Written by Adam Andrzejewsk

Confronted with our Freedom of Information Act requests and hard questions from the Washington Times, the top cop in Illinois tries to justify a $1 million patronage pay spike problem. She admits that a “supervising” attorney was allowed to move two states away and 507 round-trip miles from the office after receiving a substantial pay raise. Read our Executive Summary here.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has handed out $1 million in patronage pay increases since 2010.… Continue Reading

Final Election Results

David E. Smith — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 13:00:48 +0000

Written by David E. Smith

The Illinois State Board of Elections recently released the certified election results. Here are the numbers:

Governor-elect Bruce Rauner (R) won a slim majority of the total votes and by 142,284 votes over incumbent Patrick Quinn (D). Voter turnout was 49 percent, and compared to the 2010 gubernatorial election was down two percent, or 112,353 less voters in the 2014 election.

Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan won decisively with 59 percent of the total vote, beating Republican challenger Paul Schimpf who received little support from the Republican establishment in Illinois.

Rauner Will Not Cure Springfield Dysfunction

David E. Smith — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 13:34:10 +0000

Written by Russ Stewart

The outcome of Illinois’ gubernatorial race proves anew that any mother’s son can grow up to be governor, provided that he can self-fund $28 million and raise another $60 million.

Republican Bruce Rauner‘s win also reaffirms another pearl of wisdom: Bad always gets worse. If Illinoisans thought that state government was incompetent and leadership was dysfunctional under the Quinn-Madigan-Cullerton Democratic regime, they ain’t seen nothing yet.

The 2018 campaign for governor started on Nov.… Continue Reading

November Election Result will be “UPS Moment”

David E. Smith — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 13:45:35 +0000

Written by Russ Stewart

The Nov. 4 election, for Democratic politicians in Chicago, will be a “UPS moment.” Which committeemen among the 50 Chicago wards will deliver, and will their delivery be decisive and intimidating?

With Chicago politicians already heavily focused on the Feb. 24, 2015, municipal election, and those with statewide ambitions intensely pondering the state landscape for 2016 and 2018, the 2014 vote will, to use that old expression, “separate the men from the boys.”… Continue Reading