Michael Madigan’s stunning political collapse is expected to culminate Friday when the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history is sentenced on federal bribery, conspiracy and wire fraud convictions tied to a scheme to push legislation in exchange for jobs and contracts for his associates.
The former Illinois House speaker was convicted in February on 10 of 23 counts in a remarkable corruption trial that lasted four months. The case churned through 60 witnesses and mountains of documents, photographs and taped conversations.
Madigan will appear in U.S. District Court Friday in Chicago, where Judge John Robert Blakey will determine his sentence.
Federal prosecutors are seeking a 12 1/2-year prison term. Madigan’s attorneys are seeking probation, contending the government’s sentence would “condemn an 83-year-old man to die behind bars for crimes that enriched him not one penny.”
During a legislative career that spanned a half-century, Madigan served nearly four decades as speaker, the longest on record for a U.S. legislator. Combined with more than 20 years as chairperson of the Illinois Democratic Party, he set much of the state’s political agenda while handpicking candidates for political office. More often than not, he also controlled political mapmaking, drawing lines to favor his party.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said, the Chicago Democrat built a private legal career that allowed him to amass a net worth of $40 million.
Hellbound and Down 