The Madigan Rule
“The Madigan Rule” is a Better Government Association podcast that takes listeners inside the story of how Speaker Mike Madigan ran Illinois--for good and for ill.
Hosted by Justin Kaufmann, a veteran radio host deeply steeped in state government, Kaufmann talks with people who witnessed Madigan’s exercise of power: governors, lawmakers, journalists and politicos. They feared him and revered him and had no choice but to reckon with his rules.
It’s the Madigan Rule: a podcast about Illinois’ most powerful politician, featuring those who knew him well.
Oct 6, 2021
To understand Michael J. Madigan, you have to understand where he came from. In this first episode, we explore the 13th Ward and the Chicago Machine. We also discuss the self-styled rules Madigan followed in his climb from Chicago’s Southwest Side to the pinnacle of power in Springfield, Illinois.
Oct 6, 2021
If the 13th Ward on Chicago’s Southwest Side was Madigan’s political base, then Springfield was his political playground. In Springfield the machinery of state government grinds quietly, conveying wealth and power in equal measure. This episode explores how Madigan came to control the machinery of state government--and came to rule for half a century.
Oct 13, 2021
So how did Madigan survive so long in Illinois politics? How did busted budgets and a slurry of scandal leave him untouched?
History’s longest-serving statehouse speaker, Madigan will be remembered less for the policies he enacted than for the power he extracted. In this episode, we explore his political acumen and the infamous showdown with Governor Bruce Rauner.
Oct 20, 2021
During five decades leading state government, Michael J. Madigan engineered stirring victories and suffered painful losses. From patronage to pensions, ethical conflicts to sexual harassment--and ultimately, a federal investigation that brought him down: What does it all mean for his political legacy?
Oct 27, 2021
The biggest public corruption investigation in Illinois history continues. Madigan says he did nothing wrong, but he is out of politics and his political machine destroyed. We dive into the investigation, the resignations and the end of the Madigan era. "Has the game changed? And what is the legacy of the Madigan Rule?"
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