From the Chicago Tribune’s article on Chicago Alderman Ed Burke’s indictment:

Until this year, Jack Franks had Ed Burke as one of his hosts for his Chicago fundraiser.

Previously, House Speaker Mike Madigan was featured.

No more.

Both men used the power of the chair to set agendas to avoid issues that opponents favored.

Under my first House Speaker, Republican Bob Blair, survived an attack upon his first-term autocratic rule by Henry Hyde

Beating back his conservative opponent for his second term, Blair was forced to decentralize power.

The Appropriations Committee Chairman, for instance, was allowed to hire his own staff.cisions

Now, appropriations are decided by Madigan’s staff.

All bills were assigned by the Rules Committee to a substantive commitee–unlike today under Madigan.

Now, bills are sent to committe and, those not favored, end up in a subcommittee.

When they die, they return to the Rules Committee never to be seen again.

When bills were reported to the House floor under Blair, they went on the calendar in numeric order.

That is how they were called for votes.

Bair’s only manpulation was that the point on the calendar at which the day’s session ended was not taken up the next day.

Instead, the first bill called the next day was the one with the lowest number.

Now, Madigan calls the bills he wants to allow a vote upon when he wants to.

Alderman Burke apparently used his committee chairmanship authority similarly.

And, so does Jack Franks as McHenry County Board Chairman.

See

“Leslie Schermerhorn Miffed at Jack Franks’ Arbitrary Refusal to Put Student Safety Measure on County Board Agenda” is locked	Leslie Schermerhorn Miffed at Jack Franks’ Arbitrary Refusal to Put Student Safety Measure on County Board Agenda

“Discussion of Franks Interfering with Committee Agenda Setting” is locked	Discussion of Franks Interfering with Committee Agenda Setting

There was also agenda harrassment of former McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski. Some say it was part of the reason the doctor resigned.