CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Friday he’s refusing to testify before a special committee investigating his conduct in connection with a ComEd bribery case, according to a Chicago Tribune report.
Madigan has been linked in court documents to a bribery scheme involving the company, but has not been charged.
In a letter, Madigan says he is not exercising his Fifth Amendment rights by not appearing before the committee but that he has done nothing wrong. He called the committee actions “political theater” and adds that he “[…]cannot in good conscience take any action that may, in any way, interfere with a federal investigation.”
Madigan was formally accused of “conduct unbecoming of a legislator” earlier this month, which is not a criminal charge.
Republicans filed the formal charge Sep. 10 accusing Madigan of breaching the public trust and conduct unbecoming of a legislator as detailed in the federal case against ComEd.