Austin Berg with Illinois Policy reports: Forrest Ashby had proven his loyalty, according to an email sent in 2012 by House Speaker Mike Madigan’s closest confidant and uncovered by WBEZ.
Former lobbyist Mike McClain told state officials Ashby had “kept his mouth shut” about “the rape in Champaign” and “Jones’ ghost workers.” And as such, he should be spared from discipline.
He was. And now he will be handsomely rewarded.
Ashby will receive an estimated $2.7 million in pension payments over the course of his retirement, according to a response from the State Employees’ Retirement System to a Freedom of Information Act request and life expectancy tables from the Social Security Administration.
In 2018, Ashby retired at age 54 after nearly 30 years of working for the state. Over the course of his career he contributed just $120,717 to the pension system, an investment he has already recouped just two years into retirement.
In addition to his pension, Ashby was hired to work on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s gubernatorial campaign on McClain’s recommendation.
These benefits are not uncommon for career state workers in Illinois.
