SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois state Rep. Michael Madigan has announced that he is resigning his seat in the Legislature. The Chicago Democrat virtually set Illinois’ political agenda as House speaker before he was ousted from that job last month. The 78-year-old Madigan was elected speaker in 1983 and served 36 of the next 38 years at the helm. He was tarnished by a federal investigation of Statehouse bribery announced last summer that implicated him. He has not been charged with wrongdoing and maintains his innocence. But he lost his bid for a 19th term as speaker to Hillside Democrat Emanuel “Chris” Welch. His resignation takes effect at the end of the month.
By JOHN O’CONNOR AP Political Writer