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 Former Illinois House Speaker
Michael Madigan pleaded not guilty to 22 counts of federal criminal charges. The
man who’s had a say in Illinois politics for four decades was silent during his
arraignment over the phone.
Co-defendant Michael McClain also entered a “not guilty” plea. The indictment
alleges Madigan and McClain orchestrated multiple bribery and extortion schemes
dating back to 2011.
One scheme involved Chicago 25th Ward Ald. Danny Solis while he was secretly
cooperating with federal investigators. Madigan allegedly agreed to help
transfer a Chinatown property from the state to Chicago in exchange for business
with his tax law firm.
Thanks to COVID-19 protocols, Madigan and McClain didn’t have to stroll through
a mob of reporters into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse the way past politicians
have done in corruption cases.
The indictment came over a year after Madigan stepped down as speaker. David
Parker, assistant professor at St. Xavier University, predicted the trial will
also take a long time to unfold.
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“It sounds like he’s in it for the long haul and he’s gonna play
kind of a game of ‘who blinked first,’” Parker said.
Madigan, who turns 80 next month, doesn’t have to put up any money for bond. His
main count, racketeering, comes with a maximum of 20 years in prison if
convicted.
The next hearing is scheduled for April 1 before U.S. District Judge John Robert
Blakely.
Besides illegal corruption, Madigan engaged in legal corruption with government
worker unions in which he oversaw decades of generous benefits and pay in
exchange for $10 million in contributions to campaign committees he controlled.
The results have been the nation’s worst pension debt, which grew 753% during
his reign.
The public unions have lost Madigan, but are now trying to enshrine the power
they gained from him in the Illinois Constitution. Amendment 1 on the Nov. 8
ballot would make union power nearly impossible to curb and keep Madigan-style
deals from ever being undone.
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