Feds, some lawmakers tackle post-Madigan efforts to curb public corruption

[February 17, 2025]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Federal authorities and state lawmakers say they will keep fighting public corruption in Illinois after the conviction of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Morris Pasqual, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, was asked if the Madigan case might be the one that would finally deliver the message to politicians who commit corrupt acts.

“Is there ever really a quantifiable way of figuring out crime that is deterred, crime that is not committed?” Pasqual asked.

Pasqual said enormous amounts of time and resources went into investigating and prosecuting the Madigan case. More than 10 years passed between the start of the investigation and the announcement of the verdict in court.

“The federal government is out there. We’re actively looking for leads, and we’re committed to pursuing any sort of public corruption lead that comes our way,” Pasqual said.

Pasqual credited the prosecutors and investigators who worked on the Madigan case, including members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Chicago-based leaders of the FBI and the IRS joined Pasqual to announce the verdicts after the decision came down at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.

A former prosecutor-turned-lawmaker said work must be done to clean up Illinois government.

State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, said the corruption conviction of Madigan shows there is an urgent need to strengthen the state’s anti-corruption laws.

“The time to start cleaning up Illinois government was many years ago. That work should begin in earnest now,” Windhorst said.

The former prosecutor said Illinois House rules allow the speaker to have almost unchecked authority over legislation. Several times during the Madigan trial, attorneys and witnesses referred to Madigan putting “a brick” on bills to prevent them from moving.

“That’s one area where there could be a legislative change that would take away some of the influence of the speaker in being able to completely manage the House with an iron fist,” Windhorst said.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan outside the federal court building in Chicago Dec. 4, 2024 - Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

Windhorst said he has long sponsored legislation to end the legislator-lobbyist revolving door, remove restrictions on the legislative inspector general and establish protections against public corruption.

Windhorst’s most recent effort to curb lobbying was referred to the House Rules Committee earlier this month. The rules committee often is where bills end up that won't advance. HB 2413 would amend the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. It provides that no legislator or executive branch constitutional officer shall engage in compensated lobbying of the governing body of a municipality, county, or township, or an official thereof. Currently, that prohibition applies only if the legislator is lobbying on behalf of a lobbyist or lobbying entity that is registered to lobby the General Assembly or the executive branch of the state of Illinois.

Windhorst has also introduced numerous measures to amend House rules. HR 0020 would change the composition of conference committees to give the minority leader a voice and limit the power of the speaker.

Madigan, 82, wielded power not only as speaker for 38 years but also as chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois for 23 years. Legislative efforts to prevent Illinois House and Senate leaders from also chairing state political parties have not advanced in the General Assembly.

Last Wednesday, a jury convicted Madigan on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud and use of a facility to promote unlawful activity.

The jury found Madigan not guilty on seven counts and deadlocked on six counts. Judge John Robert Blakey declared a mistrial on the six deadlocked counts, which also involved Madigan’s longtime associate, Michael McClain.

Pasqual said a decision had not yet been made about possibly re-trying those charges.

Blakey set a hearing for Madigan’s forfeiture trial on May 5. Sentencing has not been scheduled. Based on maximum sentencing guidelines, the former speaker could face years in prison.

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