Mike Madigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Madigan
Madigan in 2013
Chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois
In office April 3, 1998 – February 22, 2021
Preceded by	Gary LaPaille
Succeeded by	Robin Kelly
67th and 69th Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office January 8, 1997 – January 13, 2021
Preceded by	Lee Daniels
Succeeded by	Chris Welch
In office January 12, 1983 – January 11, 1995
Preceded by	Arthur Telcser
Succeeded by	Lee Daniels
Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office January 11, 1995 – January 8, 1997
Preceded by	Lee A. Daniels
Succeeded by	Lee A. Daniels
In office January 7, 1981 – January 8, 1983
Preceded by	George Ryan
Succeeded by	Lee A. Daniels
Majority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office January 5, 1977 – January 7, 1981
Preceded by	Gerald W. Shea
Succeeded by	Arthur Telcser
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office January 13, 1971 – February 18, 2021
Preceded by	Frank Savickas
Succeeded by	Edward Guerra Kodatt
Constituency	27th district (1971–1983) 30th district (1983–1993) 22nd district (1993–2021)
Personal details
Born	Michael Joseph Madigan (1942-04-19) April 19, 1942 (age 82) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Shirley Murray
Children	4, including Lisa (adopted)
Education	University of Notre Dame (BA) Loyola University (JD)

Michael Joseph Madigan (born April 19, 1942) is an American politician who is the former speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. He was the longest-serving leader of any state or federal legislative body in the history of the United States, having held the position for all but two years from 1983 to 2021. He served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021. He represented the 27th District from 1971 to 1983, the 30th district from 1983 to 1993, and the 22nd district from 1993 to 2021. This made him the body's longest-serving member and the last legislator elected before the Cutback Amendment.

Chicago Magazine named Madigan as the fourth most powerful Chicagoan in 2012 and as the second in both 2013 and 2014, earning him the nickname "the Velvet Hammer—a.k.a. the Real Governor of Illinois."

On January 11, 2021, Madigan announced he would be suspending his effort to be elected to a nineteenth term as Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, and on January 13, he was replaced by fellow Democrat Chris Welch. Madigan announced that he would resign as state representative effective at the end of February. On February 18, he announced that his resignation would take effect that same day.

Early life and career

Madigan was born on April 19, 1942, and was raised in the Clearing neighborhood of Chicago. Madigan graduated from Saint Adrian's Elementary School, St. Ignatius College Prep on the west side of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame. In 1965, while a first-year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Madigan purchased a membership in the Lake Shore Club and introduced himself to Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley as Michael Madigan's son. Within months, at Madigan's father's request, Mayor Daley appointed Madigan to a summer job with the city law department between his first and second years of law school. Madigan also met Daley's son, Richard M. Daley, while both were law students. Madigan's father suffered a heart attack at age 58, and a fatal heart attack at age 60, in 1966. Madigan graduated from Loyola Law School in 1967. Madigan and Neil Hartigan worked together in the city law department. Madigan and Richard M. Daley were both delegates to the 1969-70 Illinois Constitutional convention (which wrote the current Constitution of Illinois, adopted after Illinois voters approved it in the 1970 special election), and became good friends.

In 1972, Madigan founded the private law firm of Madigan and Getzendanner with Vincent J. "Bud" Getzendanner Jr., a fellow Loyola law graduate, one year his senior. In 1976, Madigan married Shirley Murray, a divorced law firm receptionist with a young daughter, Lisa, whom Madigan adopted; Lisa later became Attorney General of Illinois in 2003.

Democratic Party leadership

Madigan joined Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne in endorsing Alderman Edward M. Burke in the 1980 Democratic primary race for Cook County State's Attorney, over Madigan's friend Richard M. Daley.

In 1986 Madigan urged Adlai Stevenson III to enter the Democratic primary for Illinois governor. Hartigan withdrew and Stevenson won the primary and was defeated by James R. Thompson for the second time.

13th Ward Democratic committeeman

In 1969 the 13th Ward precinct captains elected Madigan their committeeman, making him, at age 27, the youngest ward committeeman in Chicago at the time. Madigan's ward organization has been called the most disciplined in Chicago.

Chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois

In 1998 the Illinois Democratic Party's Central Committee elected Madigan chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. Madigan succeeded his protégé and former chief of staff, Gary LaPaille. Madigan fired the state party staff, closed its headquarters in the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, and moved it to Springfield, Illinois, to the same office building as his campaign finance committee staff.

Madigan's position as the Democratic Party Chair was challenged by Mateusz Tomkowiak during the March 2018 Democratic primary for state central committeeman of the 3rd Congressional District.

On February 22, 2021, Madigan resigned as chairman.

Illinois House of Representatives

In November 1970 Madigan was elected to represent the 22nd District in the Illinois House of Representatives. The district, on Chicago's southwest side in the area surrounding Midway International Airport, has recently become majority Hispanic.

Speaker of the Illinois House

Madigan was Speaker of the Illinois House from 1983 to 2021, with the exception of 1995–1997 when Republicans took control of the Illinois House and Lee Daniels of Elmhurst became Speaker. Madigan recruited candidates who appealed to south suburban Chicago voters and the Illinois House Democratic Majority political action committee he controls spent $272,000 in six south suburban races. Democrats won back nine seats in the Illinois House in the elections of November 1996, regained a majority, and Madigan resumed the Speaker's role and held it until January 2021. He is the longest-serving state House speaker in United States history.

Beginning in the 1980 United States Census, and except in the 1990s, Madigan was the chief mapmaker of the legislative districts of the Illinois General Assembly and the United States Congress in Illinois and during reapportionment he designs the Illinois House districts to increase his majority.

In January 2021, Madigan announced he would be suspending his campaign for Speaker of the Illinois House after it became apparent that he would not receive the 60 votes necessary to win. On January 13, the Illinois House voted to instead elect Chris Welch to the Speakership, making him the first African American to hold that position. A federal corruption investigation related to Madigan's conduct continued despite his ouster as speaker.

Campaign contributions

Madigan has admitted that he is more likely to return phone calls from campaign contributors than from non-contributors.

Of all the current sitting Democratic Illinois House members, Madigan has received the most campaign contributions from labor unions. Between 2002 and 2012, he received $670,559. This sum includes:

• $56,114 from AFL-CIO
• $50,000 from AFSCME
• $63,600 from Illinois Education Association
• $161,000 from the Illinois Federation of Teachers
• $135,000 from the Chicago Teachers Union
• $204,845 from the Service Employees International Union

On January 1, 2016, the Chicago Tribune reported that Madigan "has been on a fundraising tear, courtesy of a quirk in state campaign finance law that allows him to amass multiple five-figure contributions from the same donor into four funds he controls." In 2015, Madigan raised more than $7 million. Over 68% of the money that Madigan raised in 2015 came from trial lawyers, law firms, and organized labor unions.

Illinois created its first limit on campaign contributions for the legislature in 2009, but the law allowed politicians to raise money for various campaign funds for their political parties and caucuses. Madigan controls four different campaign fundraising organizations: Friends of Michael J Madigan, the Democratic Majority fund, the Southwest Side 13th Ward fund and the Democratic Party of Illinois account. Additionally, over the past 15 years, Madigan raised more than $658,000 in donations from the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) Legislative PAC.

Tax policy

In early 2011 leading Illinois Democratic lawmakers and Governor Pat Quinn agreed to raise the Illinois state income tax from 3 to 5.25 percent—a 75% increase. At the time, it was estimated that this would bring in about $7.5 billion a year. The tax increase would mean that a married couple with two kids earning $80,000 a year combined would pay an extra $1,620 in taxes. Democratic leaders said the plan would pull the state out of its $15 billion budget hole. They promised the tax hike would last just four years, and then fall to 3.75 percent.

Between 2011 and 2014 the Illinois state income tax rate was 5 percent. On January 1, 2015, the tax rate was reduced from 5 percent to 3.75 percent, creating a shortfall in revenue of $2.7 billion starting FY 2015. Madigan has said that he would rather increase income taxes than sales taxes. On other occasions, he has introduced budgets that raise taxes in Illinois.

Resignation

On February 18, 2021, Madigan announced through a letter to the Speaker of the Illinois House that he would be resigning from the state representative post which will be effective at the end of February.

See also

• List of Illinois state legislatures