As former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan awaits sentencing after his conviction on corruption charges, a flood of character letters—more than 250—has been sent to Judge John Blakey urging leniency. The letters come from a familiar cast of Illinois power brokers and insiders, including former Attorney General Lisa Madigan, former Governor Jim Edgar, and even Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Lisa Madigan painted her father as scrupulously ethical, saying he taught her to always follow the law. Others referred to him as “Mr. Integrity,” a term radio hosts Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson mocked during their interview with Wirepoints president Ted Dabrowski.
Dabrowski, a longtime Illinois policy analyst, pushed back hard against the whitewashing of Madigan’s legacy. “If you look at every statistic for Illinois, it’s a much worse place to live,” he said. He noted that while some political insiders miss the order Madigan imposed on state politics, regular citizens are left with the consequences of decades of machine governance—high taxes, population loss, and budget gimmicks.
The conversation turned to the 3,500-page state budget passed with little time for lawmakers to review it. Dabrowski highlighted a $7,000 raise for state legislators and a host of new taxes and fees tucked into the bill. These include increased “sin taxes” on vaping and gambling, and a new $1.50 “environmental impact fee” on every retail delivery. Proft dubbed it a “pizza tax,” a nod to how the surcharge will hit everyday deliveries from food to online shopping.
Dabrowski pointed out that while the governor touted $300 million in savings by cutting healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants under 65, the state still funds care for those over 65. At the same time, a $50 million property tax relief program was scrapped, highlighting what Dabrowski described as a prioritization of non-citizens over everyday Illinoisans. Millions more in spending were earmarked for DEI programs, abortion services, and electric vehicle promotions.
Proft and Jacobson noted that most residents will likely never know the full scope of the new budget. Dabrowski agreed, stating that even now, few understand what actually passed. “Nobody’s really clear on what happened,” he said. “That tells you everything you need to know.”
Dabrowski expressed frustration that many voters remain disengaged, buying into superficial headlines and media narratives that paint Illinois leadership as compassionate and effective. Meanwhile, those who recognize the dysfunction are increasingly leaving the state for places like Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
As the segment wrapped up, the hosts and Dabrowski reflected on the broader implications of Illinois’ budget trajectory. Dabrowski warned that Governor Pritzker’s growing national profile—and potential presidential ambitions—could mean that Illinois-style governance is exported to a larger stage. “If this is what leadership looks like,” Dabrowski quipped, “then the rest of the country should be concerned.”
You can hear more from Ted Dabrowski and get deeper analysis of Illinois policy at Wirepoints.org.