CHICAGO (AP) – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Chicago Democrat who served in the post for decades, has resigned as party chairman. Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough will be appointed as interim leader of state Democrats until a permanent replacement is named. Madigan on Monday did not give a reason for resigning as party chairman, a post he held for 50 years. He did say he has been the target of attacks by people seeking to diminish his achievements. Madigan has been tarnished by a federal bribery investigation announced last summer. He resigned from the Legislature on Thursday.
