Rock Island Today

The names of three additional legislators were recently added to the growing ranks of luminaries listed on BossMadigan.com, the Illinois Republican Party-sponsored website, with a particular emphasis on newly elected Rep. Mike Halpin (D-72nd District).

 

In league with the GOP’s continuing effort to shine a light on politicians who place a higher priority on the agendas put forth by Speaker of the House Mike Madigan than those of their constituents, Republicans also cited Rep. Eddie Jackson (D-114th District) and State Sen. Bill Haine (D-56th District) as personalities to watch.

 

“Mike Halpin, Eddie Jackson and Bill Haine have all personally benefited from Mike Madigan, taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Madigan in exchange for rubber-stamping his disastrous policies,” Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe said. “As thousands flee Illinois, it’s time for them to admit their mistakes and work to oppose giving Madigan yet another term as speaker.”

 

Even prior to taking office, Halpin has made headlines, with the Dispatch-Argus reporting from Moline that Madigan was “meddling” during the primaries by allegedly funneling $75,000 to Halpin — ostensibly in order to boost his chances of winning the nomination for the Democratic candidate from his district.

 

When confronted with questions about his relationship to Madigan, Halpin stated that he “can’t speak to who Madigan supports or doesn’t support."

Madigan reportedly donated an additional $345,000 to Halpin’s election efforts.

 

“It looks as if Mike Halpin is another bought-and-paid-for Madigan politician,” GOP representatives stated on BossMadigan.com. “Halpin can prove that wrong by opposing Madigan as speaker in January.”