McLean County Times

A federal jury in Chicago has found former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan guilty of corruption charges. For 35 years, Madigan held significant political influence as the Speaker of the House and was known for his control over legislative processes. His trial revealed evidence of close ties with lobbyists and special interests. House Republicans have long pushed for ethics reforms, often blocked by Madigan, to address corruption.

In a separate legal matter, the U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Illinois over its sanctuary state policies, which limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The TRUST Act is at the center of this controversy, preventing local law enforcement from assisting in federal immigration operations. The Justice Department argues that this law conflicts with the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Illinois residents can participate in legislative reviews by filing witness slips on bills under consideration. Nearly 4,000 bills have been filed for review during this year's spring session.

Governor Pritzker is set to deliver his sixth State of the State address next week, where he will discuss challenges such as a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit and healthcare costs for undocumented immigrants totaling $558 million.

In community news, Rep. Bunting attended an Eagle Scout Court of Honor to celebrate Will Mussman's achievements.

Currently, Illinois faces a backlog of unpaid bills amounting to over $2 billion. This figure excludes other debts like pension liabilities exceeding $100 billion.