Madigan Trial Enters Third Month
The corruption trial against former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has entered its third month at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago. Over the last eight weeks, federal prosecutors have called several key witnesses to build their case that the political leader engaged in racketeering and bribery conspiracy. Witnesses have included local, state, and federal elected officials, alongside family members and business leaders.
Most recently, the highly anticipated witness, former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis, wrapped up his testimony after 21 hours on the stand over the course of six days. While serving as Chairman of the City of Chicago’s Zoning Committee, Solis secretly recorded multiple conversations with Madigan, in which he sought to recruit business for Madigan’s law firm.
Madigan was indicted in March 2022 on 23 counts of racketeering, bribery, and official misconduct. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a years-long bribery scheme with the state’s largest utility, Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). He served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021, holding the role of Speaker for all but two years. Senate Republicans have introduced several key pieces of legislation calling for sweeping ethics reforms to prevent future abuses of power. The Madigan trial is expected to continue into the new year.
Christmas Break Around the District and preparing for 104thGeneral Assembly
It’s been a few weeks since the legislature adjourned for the Holiday break following the 2024 Fall Veto Session. Since the start of the holiday break, Senator Bennett has been busy around the district speaking with local groups, meeting with constituents, and attending various events to better understand the challenges and concerns affecting the community.
While this scheduled break may serve as an opportunity for Senators to be home in their districts, it’s also the time when they start the drafting process for bills they plan to file for the new General Assembly, which is set to begin on Inauguration Day, January 8, 2025. Senator Bennett is retiring, and State Senator-Elect Chris Balkema will take over as State Senator of the 53rd district on January 8th.
Prior to Inauguration Day, Senators are expected to come back sometime between January 2nd and January 7th for a “lame duck session.” In years when they occur, lame duck sessions are held after the election and fall veto session, but before newly elected officials are sworn in. It’s widely seen as a time when outgoing legislators may be more likely to vote in favor of controversial legislation without fear of political repercussions. The most recent lame duck session took place in in January of 2023 and saw the passage of a weapons ban and an expansion of abortion services. In 2021, lame duck session led to the passage of the controversial SAFE-T Act and back in 2011 it led to the passage of a 67% increase in the income tax.
New Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant Application Now Open
Fire departments across the state, now have an opportunity to apply for a new Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Grant Program through the office of the Illinois State Fire Marshall. The new grant would allow departments to apply for grants up to $350,000 for the construction and rehabilitation of fire stations, with a total of $5 million available.
To qualify for these grants, fire departments need to have an active registration with SAM.gov and also be registered with the state’s grantee portal. Additionally, they must be compliant with NFIRS for at least the past two years, covering the period from December 2022 through November 2024. Departments are required to report all incidents they respond to, including ambulance calls, to meet the eligibility criteria. Applications must be electronically submitted or postmarked no later than February 28, 2025. For more information on the grant program and application process, click here.
As the stockings are hung by the chimney with care, it’s important to take care of your loved ones this holiday season by thinking about fire safety with your holiday décor.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), over one-third of decoration fires are started by candles, and more than 40% occur when decorations are too close to heat sources. U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 853 decoration-related fires annually, excluding Christmas trees, and 155 fires started by Christmas trees each year. Dry trees become extremely flammable, with 36% of Christmas tree fires occurring in January. Candle fires peak in December, with the top days being Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Fire Safety Tips:
- Use flame-resistant decorations and keep them away from heat sources.
- Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything flammable and extinguish them before sleeping or leaving.
- Check lights for damage and follow safety guidelines for use.
- Turn off all decorations when not home or sleeping.
- Water real Christmas trees daily and keep them away from heat.
- Clean ovens and stovetops to prevent grease fires.
Senator Bennett says let’s stay safe and make this holiday season memorable for all the right reasons!
How much do we owe?
As of the time of this writing, the State of Illinois owes $2,279,135,655.16 to state vendors, including 35,357 pending vouchers. This figure represents the amount of bills submitted to the office of the Comptroller and still awaiting payment. It does not include debts that can only be estimated, such as our unfunded pension liability which is subject to a wide range of factors and has been estimated to be more than $139 billion. At the same time last year, the state’s accounts payable stood at a little less than $2 billion.
This Week in the 53rd District
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