Kankakee Times

Congressional candidate Ashley Ramos is asking for more to fall, including her opponent, after former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s indictment. 

In a statement issued by her campaign, Ramos said that for the longest time, Illinoisans have been abused by the alleged corrupt political system controlled by the Democrats and hopes that justice is served following Madigan's indictment.

“It is with optimism we are finally seeing justice after decades of blatant, in our face political corruption in our state stemming from the former Democrat Party leader Michael Madigan, who not only used his elected office as Precinct Committeeman, State Rep, and Speaker of the House to peddle influence in order to enrich his law business in the loop and his party friends," Ramos said. "It is with deep regret that we the people of the state have had to pay the price for his alleged racketeering."

Ramos, whose campaign is based in Bradley, is a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, opposing Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) this year for the Illinois 2nd Congressional district. 

“Illinois Policy estimated that public corruption in our state costs taxpayers about $556 million per year (from 2000-2018) as high levels of corruption damage to the state’s economy costing us in the billions since 2000," she said. "This culture of corruption has contributed to the mass exodus, impaired our economic growth, and discouraged investment in our state. Homeowners also have paid a heavy price for these political racketeers!” 

The Republican candidate urges Kelly to account for all the money he received and return it to Illinois taxpayers, saying that the latter "benefited widely through several re-elections the last few terms and in close alliance with Michael Madigan himself."

"Knowing that the Democrat Party Leader Michael Madigan leveraged his political power to drive donors to his pockets and his party, we believe it is in the best interest that the Democrat Party members of Illinois immediately donate ALL FUNDS they have received from Madigan while in office to a special fund set up for the taxpayers of our state who paid the price for the Democrat party’s systemic racket," Ramos said.

While no particular name was mentioned in the indictment paper, it stated that "MADIGAN explained that he would assist Alderman A in obtaining an appointment to a State board by go[ing] to [the future Governor of the State of Illinois]. Gov. J.B. Pritzker denied those accusations." 

In response, the governor's office said “the governor does not recall Michael Madigan ever asking him to consider Danny Solis for any position."

In a statement, Madigan said he was “never involved in any criminal activity” in his 50 years in office. Madigan, who spent 36 years as House speaker, the longest in the country’s history, is accused of using the office for personal gain. “I adamantly deny these accusations and look back proudly on my time as an elected official, serving the people of Illinois,” Madigan said.