Why power companies and state-level corruption go together in America

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Known as the Velvet Hammer, Mike Madigan is reckoned to be Illinois’s most powerful politician—and a difficult one to oust

sounds unrepentant. Until July the Republican was speaker of Ohio’s state assembly—a politician best known for his prodigious fundraising and helping his party colleagues raise cash. Then in July the feds came knocking. Along with his campaign strategist and three lobbyists, he was arrested and charged with racketeering. Federal investigators say the men took $60m from a power company, widely reported to be FirstEnergy. It was transferred via a charity set up as a front.

That is not the case in a parallel case unfolding in Illinois. This week Democrats there—plotting by phone and Zoom, as the virus kept them from Springfield—looked ready to topple their own speaker. Mike Madigan is a wisp of a man compared with barrel-chested Mr Householder. But he is the more powerful, indeed legendary, character. Known as the Velvet Hammer, Mr Madigan is reckoned to be the state’s most powerful politician, one who has seen off many governors of both parties.

That leaves Mr Madigan vulnerable. He has not been arrested or charged and he denies any wrongdoing. But a 38-page deferred prosecution agreement between prosecutors and ComEd sets out in detail how federal investigators see the dubious role of “public official A” who is bluntly identified as the speaker. Voters, especially beyond Chicago, sound fed up with the whiffs of scandal around him. After they delivered a relatively poor result for Democrats in elections this month the governor, J.B.

 

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This is just the old murican colonialist knowledge coming home...

The PLANTATION system is designed for SLAVERY to work for minimum wages & TAXPAYERS TO FINANCE '666'ISRAEL'S BANKERS CARTEL DEBT TO DEATH Doesn't matter who the voters elect IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE SYSTEM. All are born ignorant & educated to be STUPID to vote for SLAVERY TO DEATH

kuku27 Everyone is involved in corrupt practices, is Europe far behind or for that matter Japan, China and so on. This has become tradition, grease is only channel which makes things easier

Republicans ?

Get Rudy on to them. Clean that swamp Trump.

I know capitalism is in its final stages and the illusion of democracy is now a translucent white elephant in the room... But the wealthy could at least make the effort to put decent puppets in charge of our countries... I mean seriously, they've given up the fking pretence...

Is anyone clean?

because media and law enforcement are enabling the elite political class and subservient to bribes

plz like share subscribe comment

He will be the little spoon in prison.

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