THE LOOP — Former Illinois Home speaker Michael J. Madigan was sentenced Friday to 7 1/2 years in federal jail, 4 months after he was discovered responsible on a sequence of corruption costs that marked a shocking fall from grace for a person as soon as generally known as probably the most highly effective politician within the state.
Madigan — the longest serving legislative chief in American historical past — was convicted in February by a federal jury on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud.
The jury discovered the now 83-year-old Chicagoan not responsible or deadlocked on 13 different costs — together with failing to achieve a choice on probably the most critical cost, racketeering conspiracy.
Federal prosecutors had requested U.S. District Court docket Choose John Robert Blakey to condemn Madigan to 12 1/2 years in jail, whereas his protection staff argued for a 12 months of dwelling confinement and 5 years of probation, based on the Tribune.
Blakey in the end gave Madigan a 90-month jail sentence and imposed a $2.5 million superb, discovering that Madigan lied repeatedly when he took the stand towards the conclusion of his months-long trial.
Madigan is because of report back to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on Oct. 13 to start his sentence, however one in every of his attorneys mentioned the previous speaker will ask to stay free pending attraction, the Solar-Instances reported.
The previous Home speaker didn’t remark as he left the courthouse Friday afternoon, after a sentencing listening to that spanned greater than three hours.
Shortly earlier than he was sentenced, Madigan rose to talk to Blakey and gave a broad apology, however didn’t admit guilt for any of his different crimes.
“I’m actually sorry for placing the individuals of the state of Illinois by this. I attempted to do my greatest to serve the individuals of the state,” Madigan mentioned, based on the Tribune.
Blakey mentioned that Madigan’s age was necessary in figuring out his sentence, but in addition ripped into Madigan for mendacity on the stand throughout his trial — calling it a “nauseating show,” based on the Solar-Instances.
In a press release following Friday’s sentencing, U.S. Legal professional Andrew Boutros mentioned,
“Corruption on the highest degree of the state legislature tears on the material of an important governing physique.”
Douglas DePodesta, particular agent in control of the FBI’s Chicago subject workplace, added that Madigan’s actions whereas as a public servant “demonstrated time and time once more that his precedence was his personal private pursuits and achieve.”
Madigan served within the Illinois Home for 50 years earlier than resigning in 2021. Within the early Nineteen Eighties, he kicked off an almost four-decade run as Home speaker, with solely a brief break within the mid-90s when Republicans took management of the chamber.
He additionally chaired the Illinois Democratic Occasion for nearly 25 years, earlier than stepping down in 2021.
Madigan’s 2022 indictment was one in every of a number of public corruption instances to hit high-profile Illinois politicians lately. These included former Ald. Ed Burke (14th), who was in the end sentenced to 2 years in jail final 12 months on racketeering and different costs and is presently serving time at a low-security jail in Thomson, Sick.
Madigan’s trial started in fall 2024 and lasted 4 months.
Prosecutors spelled out 5 distinct corruption schemes that centered round almost 150 hours of recorded conversations involving the previous speaker. The FBI’s DePodesta advised reporters after the trial that brokers spent a couple of decade investigating the case.
Probably the most expansive of the schemes concerned energy utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), which prosecutors mentioned Madigan used as a “private piggybank” to reward his allies by “no-show” jobs.
Jurors discovered Madigan responsible of conspiracy, two counts of bribery and one rely of “use of a facility to advertise illegal exercise” associated to the ComEd scheme, based on the Solar-Instances. Madigan was discovered not responsible on two different counts associated to ComEd.
Madigan was additionally convicted on six counts associated to efforts to put in former Ald. Danny Solis (twenty fifth) able on a state board seat. Solis, the federal government’s star witness, wore a wire after being confronted by FBI brokers about his personal alleged crimes. The previous alderman, whose recordings have been additionally central to Burke’s corruption trial, has averted jail time.
Madigan was in the meantime discovered not responsible of 4 costs filed in reference to the event of what’s now the Union West luxurious condominium buildings within the West Loop. Jurors didn’t return verdicts on costs associated to the failed improvement of a Chinatown car parking zone and bribery costs involving a retiring state consultant’s consulting job for AT&T Illinois.
In 2023, 4 former political insiders have been discovered responsible for an almost decade-long conspiracy to bribe Madigan to profit ComEd — a gap act of the expansive federal probe with Madigan himself in its crosshairs.
Sentencing for the defendants in that trial — generally known as the “ComEd 4” — has been delayed repeatedly however is anticipated to lastly happen this summer season.
Reporter Mack Liederman contributed.
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