The gorgeous downward spiral of Michael Madigan’s political profession ended Friday with a 7 1/2-year jail sentence and a $2.5 million superb for the previous Illinois Home speaker and the longest-serving legislative chief in U.S. historical past after he was convicted of buying and selling laws for the enrichment of his mates and allies.
U.S. District Decide John Robert Blakey sentenced the 83-year-old in U.S. District Courtroom in Chicago.
Nicknamed the “Velvet Hammer” for his quiet however hard-nosed type, Madigan was convicted in February on 10 of 23 counts in a outstanding corruption trial that lasted 4 months.
The case churned via 60 witnesses and mountains of paperwork, pictures and taped conversations.
Federal prosecutors sought a 12 1/2-year jail time period.
Madigan’s attorneys needed 5 years’ probation, saying he is an effective man who tried to do proper by taxpayers and must be house to take care of his ailing spouse, Shirley, who submitted a videotaped assertion to the courtroom requesting her husband have the ability to come house.
However Blakey famous that federal sentencing pointers allowed for a time period of 105 years primarily based on findings in proof — notably that Madigan dedicated perjury when he took the stand in his personal protection.
Blakey was significantly piqued over what he referred to as “a nauseating show of perjury and evasion.”
“You lied. You didn’t should. You had a proper to take a seat there and train your proper to silence,” Blakey mentioned.
“However you took the stand and also you took the legislation into your personal arms.”
Throughout a legislative profession spanning half a century, Madigan served practically 4 a long time as speaker, the longest on file for a U.S. legislator.
Mixed with greater than 20 years as chairperson of the Illinois Democratic Occasion, he set a lot of the state’s political agenda whereas handpicking candidates for political workplace.
As a rule, he additionally managed political mapmaking, drawing traces to favor his social gathering.
In the meantime, prosecutors mentioned, the Chicago Democrat constructed a non-public authorized profession that allowed him to amass a internet value of $40 million.
Madigan was convicted on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud and different costs for making certain approval of laws favorable to utility large ComEd in trade for kickbacks and jobs and contracts for loyalists, together with a Chicago alderman in search of a paid job on a state board after retiring from authorities.
The jury deadlocked on six counts, together with an overarching racketeering conspiracy cost, and acquitted him on seven others.
Madigan spoke briefly earlier than sentencing, asking to keep away from jail so he may take care of his spouse and spend his closing years together with his household.
“I’m really sorry for placing the folks of the state of Illinois via this,” Madigan mentioned.
“I attempted to do my finest to serve the folks of the state of Illinois. I’m not excellent.”
Throughout a three-and-a-half-hour listening to, Blakey famous the quite a few letters despatched to the courtroom supporting Madigan.
The choose mentioned Madigan was a great household man and a form man, serving to his neighbors with out pause.
However he mentioned, “Being nice is difficult. Being sincere shouldn’t be. It’s exhausting to commit crimes. It truly takes effort.”
Assistant U.S. Lawyer Sarah Streicker hammered house the truth that Madigan has not taken duty for the crimes or proven any regret.
Streicker famous that Madigan, having served as speaker via seven governors, “had each alternative to set the usual for sincere authorities.”
As a substitute, she mentioned, “he match proper into the mould of one more corrupt chief in Illinois.”
Protection legal professionals had referred to as the federal government’s beneficial sentence “draconian” and, given Madigan’s age, a life sentence.
“He didn’t search to be grasping. He lived a really frugal life …,” Madigan lawyer Dan Collins mentioned.
“The rhetoric needs to make Mike accountable for the lengthy historical past of corruption in Illinois. He isn’t, Decide. He’s one man.”
They requested Blakey to contemplate the totality of Madigan’s life and work and the necessity to take care of his spouse in requesting a sentence of 5 years’ probation, with one yr of house confinement, a requirement to carry out group service and a “affordable superb.”
In a video submitted to the courtroom, Shirley Madigan mentioned she wanted her husband to return house.
“I actually don’t exist with out him,” she mentioned.
“I want I may say that I do, however I don’t know what I’d do with out Michael. I’d most likely have to seek out someplace to reside and I’d most likely have to seek out care.”
Tried alongside Madigan was his former legislative colleague and longtime confidant, Michael McClain.
The jury couldn’t attain a choice on any of the six counts towards McClain.
He was convicted, although, in a separate trial over the ComEd conspiracy final yr.
