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Appeals Court Upholds Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's Corruption Conviction
The unanimous panel said the evidence showed a long-running quid pro quo scheme that brought Madigan more than $3 million in benefits.
- On Monday, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the corruption conviction of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, ruling prosecutors presented clear evidence he traded support for legislation benefiting Commonwealth Edison for lucrative jobs for political allies.
- Evidence showed Madigan spent nearly a decade leveraging his power to secure over $3 million in benefits for political allies, including 'no work' contracts for ComEd associates and a state board position for former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis.
- Rejecting defense arguments that the case criminalized 'run-of-the-mill politics,' the panel wrote that Madigan's 'linkage was clear and far from fleeting,' noting a 'mountain of evidence' supported the jury's finding of corrupt intent.
- This ruling ensures Madigan will serve his 7.5-year prison sentence with a release date of January 3, 2032, distinguishing his case from the recent decision reversing convictions for two former ComEd Four defendants.
- The three-judge panel's decision, issued 16 days after oral arguments, likely prompts an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, though Madigan remains incarcerated at a federal prison in Morgantown, West Virginia.
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Total News Sources13
Leaning Left1Leaning Right2Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
C 75%
R 17%
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