House Speaker Michael Madigan has shelled out big money from his campaign fund to pay attorneys – and he isn’t the only public official to do so.

After 41 years in public service, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton is stepping down. He reflects on recent headlines, his life in politics and what’s next.

A shocking email has Springfield at attention and Madigan on the defensive. Presidential hopefuls set up shop in Illinois. Cannabis flies off the shelves in Chicago and a local coyote gets a DNA test.

House Speaker Michael Madigan rebuffed a call by his Republican counterpart to convene a special House committee to investigate an alleged “criminal cover-up” detailed in an email written by one of Madigan’s top confidants.

The fallout from an explosive story involving a top ally of House Speaker Michael Madigan. Our politics team digs into that story and more in our weekly roundtable.

A bipartisan task force was established last spring to tackle the issue of the state’s high property taxes. But that task force is now being attacked by Republicans, who say their ideas and contributions have been ignored. Is that the case?

A new state commission has just over three months to come up with recommendations on how Illinois can “improve public trust in government.” On Monday, the group had its initial meeting in Chicago.

From legal pot to a ban on animal-tested cosmetics, more than 250 new laws take effect in Illinois on Jan. 1. Here are 20 you should know.

State Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Cicero, hasn’t made a public appearance since the FBI raided his home and offices in September. He will step down on Jan. 1, 2020.

Earlier this month, the Illinois legislature voted to consolidate almost 650 suburban and downstate police and fire pension funds into just two. How exactly will it impact the state’s beleaguered finances? 

Senators have been scrambling since Senate President John Cullerton made a surprise announcement that he’ll resign in the new year, leaving vacant one of the most powerful positions in state politics.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot failed to beat the odds in Springfield, with legislators on Thursday adjourning for the year without taking up a fix she says is needed before the city can move forward with a casino.

One of the most powerful figures in Illinois politics is giving up his position.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot isn’t folding her cards just yet on a new casino tax structure, though a deal proved elusive Wednesday. That leaves just one remaining day in the veto session for a framework to be finalized and get through both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly.

A federal bribery charge against an Illinois state legislator has led to questions about whether lawmakers should be allowed to lobby other units of government.

Is the mayor’s plan for a real estate transfer tax hike dead on arrival or could a new so-called win-win compromise supported by some Democratic lawmakers create a path forward?