Rock Island Today

Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Moline) said that despite Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) no longer serving as House speaker, Illinois problems aren't instantly solved.

"It's a good thing that he's gone, but I really don't expect anything different from leadership," Anderson told the Rock Island Today. "As long as things are the way they are, you will continue to see a focus on power instead of good leadership, power instead of good ideology."

After nearly 40-years of being under Madigan's rule, lawmakers elected Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) to serve as House speaker.

Pressure mounted to move away from Madigan after being implicated in an ongoing federal investigation about alleged brides that also involved ComEd. The state's largest utility conceded to authorities of its involvement and was fined $200 million but did not admit wrongdoing. Madigan has not been charged and denied any wrongdoing.

Despite having new leadership at the House and Madigan's potential legal problems, the Moline Republican said that Democrat's influence would remain.

"After all these years of him being in charge, I think you have to be concerned about him still pulling the strings from behind the scene," Anderson said. "In the end, it comes down to Welch and rather he really wants to take a new direction or not."

Anderson isn't alone in wondering if Welch is the right man to bring the kind of change to Springfield he thinks is warranted.

In addition to his close ties to Madigan, Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider pointed to Welch's alleged history of personal troubles that include having faced multiple accusations in court documents of harassing, assaulting and retaliating against women.

In relation to the allegations raised by Schneider, authorities have not found any wrongdoing. In one instance, charges were never filed. The accusations reported in court documents were dismissed.