How did Madigan survive so long in Illinois politics?  How did busted budgets and a slurry of scandal leave him untouched? History’s longest-serving statehouse speaker, Madigan will be remembered less for the policies he enacted than for the power he extracted. In this episode of BGA’s “The Madigan Rule” host Justin Kaufmann explores Mike Madigan’s political acumen and the infamous showdown with Governor Bruce Rauner.

Power Over Policy: 3

“The Madigan Rule” is a BGA podcast that takes listeners inside the story of how Speaker Mike Madigan ran Illinois--for good and for ill.  Hosted by Justin Kaufmann, a veteran radio host who covered Madigan, Kaufmann talks with people who witnessed Madigan’s exercise of power: governors, lawmakers, journalists and politicos. They feared him and revered him and had no choice but to reckon with his rules. It’s the Madigan Rule: a podcast about Illinois’ most powerful politician, featuring those who knew him well.