mike madigan is the king of illinois politics and this is his kingdom. nearly 30 years walked capital all had his name in lights knows how to work everybody who is anybody in the chambers. >> a great deal of power being speaker of the house but some people say true power outside of public view master puppeteer pulling strings. >> speaker wanted me to make sure we talked about the legal side of things regarding the bill >> no better example than a rare sunday hearing scheduled when most people had their eye on the chicago bears game pension reform >> it is about abusive and gross use of the statute i have seen in the state >> after house and senate legislators reacted to wgn tribune investigation exposed and pension abuse. overwhelmingly passed tough rules to stop lobbyists from getting a teacher's pension by working one day as a substitute and clamping down on union bosses. madigan himself bloated with the highly publicized bill. >> attempt to clean up >> 4:00 sunday meeting popped up out of nowhere stunt to some looked like madigan was trying to undo wh

mike madigan did stand up to rod blagojevich on a number of issues but it was virtually all of the general assembly ... the senate president at that time may have banned his biggest ally pushing the blagojevich agenda but most of the legislators in springfield had no respect for the governor. >>even though he knew he was under the microscope he seemed to continue with business as usual >>because of a massive amounts of money that blagojevich had raised the investigation by the federal government had the legislature take action in that limitations on contributions to the governor's office. and that kind of put him on high gear to ramp up his fund-raising effort before the legislative deadline for campaign contributions. >>that's right remember there was such an immediacy to his effort at the time >>that's right the law went into effect just one month after his arrest. and so much was caught on tape and phone conversations and ultimately used against the former governor in court >>he spent the bulk of his time away from his state office here in chicago he rarely traveled to springfield a num

try to talk to powerful house speaker mike madigan who called a rare sunday hearing last week never got to speak with them. in the here and the team argued pension abuse reform bill from republican tom cross shepherd to the governor's desk is unconstitutional taking pensions away from the abuses we suppose exposed not stand up in court and great tom cross told us tonight despite the sunday hearing that michael madigan called the before bill still stands and should be signed by gov. quinn soon. >> up next what is better at kmart than a blue light special? the layaway angels some chicago calling christmas miracle. >> a year where so many have so little very special chicagoans try to make this a very happy holiday for others and what not to wear in the cold probably think you have it down by now but what about your kids? special considerations. and sherlock holmes the book to the big screen dean richards latest version measures up? sears one-day sale 7 am saturday! 60% off coats, sweaters and fleece. up to 75% off all fine jewelry. plus, midnight madness! 6 pm to midnight only, extra 30% o