Posted on 06/14/2025 1:43:48 AM PDT by Libloather
The stunning downward spiral of Michael Madigan’s political career ended Friday with a 7 1/2-year prison sentence and a $2.5 million fine for the former Illinois House speaker and the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history after he was convicted of trading legislation for the enrichment of his friends and allies.
U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey sentenced the 83-year-old in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Nicknamed the “Velvet Hammer” for his quiet but hard-nosed style, Madigan 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.
Federal prosecutors sought a 12 1/2-year prison term.
Madigan’s attorneys wanted five years’ probation, saying he is a good man who tried to do right by taxpayers and needs to be home to care for his ailing wife, Shirley, who submitted a videotaped statement to the court requesting her husband be able to come home.
But Blakey noted that federal sentencing guidelines allowed for a term of 105 years based on findings in evidence — notably that Madigan committed perjury when he took the stand in his own defense.
Blakey was particularly piqued over what he called “a nauseating display of perjury and evasion.”
“You lied. You did not have to. You had a right to sit there and exercise your right to silence,” Blakey said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
And, this is how to take all of them down. Every last one, regardless of party.
When I did not see the party mentioned, I figured it must be a D.
It’s probably been asked before but is there any relation to Edward Madigan (former Congressman and Secretary of Agriculture)?
Illinois - breeding ground of democrat crook politicians.....
Isn’t this common historically (especially in Illinois)? Politician = criminal/crook.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.