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90_HR0441
LRB9012079KBkbA
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Several newspapers throughout the State of
3 Illinois and the surrounding region, including the Belleville
4 News Democrat, the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Chicago Sun
5 Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Southern Illinoisan, the
6 Daily Herald and the Daily Southtown, have reported that
7 former Representative Glenn Bradford was awarded public
8 contracts simultaneously with his resignation from the
9 Illinois House of Representatives; and
10 WHEREAS, Such events, set forth in detail on Exhibit A,
11 attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference,
12 indicate that Mr. Bradford may have been bribed by members of
13 the General Assembly, Madison County State's Attorney Bill
14 Haine and others to resign his office with promises of public
15 contracts in an amount substantially equal to his legislative
16 salary, thereby allowing Representative Jay Hoffman to obtain
17 Mr. Bradford's seat in the General Assembly without voter
18 approval; and
19 WHEREAS, Such events also show that, although Mr.
20 Bradford performed no work in connection with the contract
21 that he received from Speaker Michael Madigan's office, false
22 vouchers were filed by Speaker Madigan and his chief of
23 staff, Timothy Mapes, authorizing payment to Mr. Bradford,
24 such vouchers containing untruthful certifications that Mr.
25 Bradford had performed legal services in violation of the
26 State Finance Act; and
27 WHEREAS, Although Speaker Madigan has admitted that Mr.
28 Bradford performed no work pursuant to such contract, he has
29 stated his intention to enter into another identical contract
30 with Mr. Bradford; and
31 WHEREAS, These events indicate potential illegal
32 activity, including bribery, falsification of records, mail
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1 fraud and "ghost" payrolling, by Speaker Madigan,
2 Representative Hoffman, Mr. Bradford, Speaker Madigan's chief
3 of staff, Timothy Mapes, Speaker Madigan's legal counsel,
4 Michael Kasper, and others; and
5 WHEREAS, On April 2, 1998, and again on April 22, 1998,
6 Speaker Madigan was asked from the floor of the House to
7 explain and respond to these potentially illegal activities,
8 but he has refused to do so, choosing instead to hide behind
9 the secrecy of a State Police investigation; and
10 WHEREAS, These events, together with Speaker Madigan's
11 refusal to respond to them, bring disrepute to the House of
12 Representatives; therefore be it
13 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that a
15 Special Investigating Committee (hereafter the "Committee")
16 be created for the purpose of investigating the events
17 described herein and such further activities relating to the
18 resignation of Mr. Bradford and the appointment of
19 Representative Hoffman as may come to the Committee's
20 attention; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That the Committee shall consist of eight
22 legislative members, with four members of the House of
23 Representatives appointed by the Majority Leader of the House
24 of Representatives, in order to avoid any appearance of
25 impropriety or conflicts of interest that would result if
26 such appointments were made by the Speaker of the House of
27 Representatives, and four members of the House of
28 Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the House
29 of Representatives; and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That the Majority Leader of the House of
31 Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of
32 Representatives shall each designate one appointee to serve
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1 as a co-chairperson; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the appointments of members and the
3 designations of the co-chairpersons of the Committee shall be
4 transmitted by the appointing authority to the Clerk of the
5 House of Representatives; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That the Committee is empowered to meet upon
7 the proper appointment of four of the members with all
8 meetings to be public at times and places designated by the
9 co-chairpersons, or single co-chairperson if only one has
10 been appointed; that at least 24-hour advance notice of all
11 meetings shall be given to the public; and that the Committee
12 may gather evidence and hear testimony at any location within
13 the State of Illinois designated by the co-chairpersons, or
14 single co-chairperson if only one has been appointed; and be
15 it further
16 RESOLVED, That the Committee is empowered to compel the
17 attendance and testimony of persons and the production of
18 papers, documents and other evidence, under oath, by subpoena
19 signed by the co-chairpersons, or single co-chairperson if
20 only one has been appointed, and attested by the Clerk of
21 the House of Representatives when the testimony, documents,
22 or evidence is necessary for or incident to any inquiry
23 relevant to the business or purposes of the Committee, and to
24 punish any person for the neglect, refusal to appear, or
25 failure to produce papers or documents or provide evidence
26 commanded by subpoena or who, upon appearance, whether with
27 or without subpoena, refuses to be sworn or testify or
28 produce papers, documents, or evidence demanded of him or
29 her; and be it further
30 RESOLVED, That the Committee may hire staff and contract
31 with legal counsel, agents, and employees as it may deem
32 necessary; and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That, upon completion of the investigation, the
2 Committee shall submit a final report of its findings,
3 together with recommendations for further action, including,
4 if warranted, disciplinary action against members of the
5 House of Representatives, to the House of Representatives by
6 filing a copy with the Clerk of the House of Representatives
7 on or before May 21, 1998.
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1 Exhibit A
2 1. Mr. Bradford was elected to the Illinois House of
3 Representatives at the General Election held in November
4 1996, succeeding Representative Jay Hoffman.
5 2. Mr. Hoffman was defeated at the same election in his
6 bid to serve in the United States Congress.
7 3. Upon leaving office in January, 1997, Mr. Hoffman, an
8 attorney, was retained to provide legal services by Madison
9 County State's Attorney Bill Haine.
10 4. Shortly after taking office, Mr. Bradford separated
11 from the law firm at which he was a partner and was sued by
12 his former colleagues.
13 5. On October 10, 1997, Mr. Bradford announced that he
14 was resigning from the Illinois House of Representatives.
15 6. On October 21, 1997, Mr. Bradford was retained by
16 Madison County State's Attorney Bill Haine to perform
17 substantially the same services as Mr. Hoffman pursuant to a
18 contract for $25,000.
19 7. On that same day Mr. Bradford expressed an interest
20 in securing a contract to perform legal services for the
21 Metro East Sanitary District.
22 8. On October 26, 1997, Mr. Bradford's resignation
23 became effective and on October 27, 1997, Mr. Hoffman was
24 appointed to replace him.
25 9. On November 1, 1997, Mr. Bradford was retained by
26 Speaker Madigan to perform legal services pursuant to a
27 contract for $20,000 which is subject to the State Finance
28 Act.
29 10. Mr. Bradford was retained to provide these legal
30 services despite having been censured by the Illinois Supreme
31 Court, failing to pay local property taxes for two years,
32 concealing the employment of a maid in order to avoid paying
33 social security taxes, and having shown great insensitivity
34 toward racial minorities and victims of domestic violence.
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1 11. On March 31, 1998, after admitting that Mr. Bradford
2 had performed no services for the Speaker's Office, Speaker
3 Madigan terminated the contract with Mr. Bradford.
4 12. By letter to Mr. Bradford dated March 31, 1998,
5 Speaker Madigan maintained that he would reissue a contract
6 for legal services to Mr. Bradford.