Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is feuding over the state budget with Governor Bruce Rauner now. But eight years ago, the summer stalemate was with the now-imprisoned, then Governor, Rod Blagojevich.
The Speaker reacted to Tuesday’s news that an appeals court has tossed some of Blagojevich's convictions.
Madigan says he hasn't read the whole opinion; just the final paragraph.
"It seems to say that Mr. Blagojevich will remain as a guest of the United States government, rather than coming back to Illinois," Madigan said.
Blagojevich began serving his 14-year prison sentence in March of 2012; he's projected to be released in 2024. While the appellate court says evidence against Blagojevich was overwhelming, it nonetheless found five counts invalid. There's a chance that could lead to a reduced sentence.
Madigan didn't initially have much to say about Blagojevich's legacy for Illinois:
"I guess at minimum it was interesting, right? At a minimum. It was interesting; always something to think about, and something to do. At a minimum."
When pressed, he went on to say that Blagojevich was responsible for a lot of overspending during his time as governor.
The Speaker says that's why Illinois needs to focus on what he says is the state's number one problem: the budget deficit.
Madigan says current Governor Rauner is too focused on "non-budget issues;" Rauner says Madigan is standing in the way of reforms that will grow the state's economy.
