DeKalb Times

Dixon Mayor Liandro “Li” Arellano holds out hope for Illinois now that Mike Madigan is out of the picture.

“This is a chance for a new generation to set its own mark on what kind of state we’ll be going forward,” Arellano told the DeKalb Times.

A month after lawmakers replaced Madigan as the House speaker following nearly 40-years, he resigned from his seat representing the 22nd District.

The state’s longest-serving lawmaker departs amid a still-unfolding federal Department of Justice corruption probe involving ComEd. Federal authorities linked him to an alleged pay-for-pay scheme with perks that were steered to him in exchange for favorable legislation.

Despite his alleged connections, federal authorities have not charged Madigan, and he maintains his innocence.

Arellano said he always knew this day would come, especially once Madigan was replaced as House speaker for Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Chris Welch (D-Hillside) after a growing number of his party members refused to support his reelection campaign.

“After he was dethroned, the handwriting was clearly on the wall,” he said. “You just knew he couldn’t stay around and just be a legislator after he spent so much time stripping away power from regular legislators and consolidating it for himself.”

Still, Arellano said he fears the world of Illinois politics hasn’t seen the last of Madigan.

“He still has a lot of power, influence and control of a small campaign fortune to keep himself relevant,” he said. “You just hope that new Speaker Welch means some of the things he’s been saying about finally wanting to put the state first and do what’s right for the people.”