By Illinois Review
On Wednesday, a jury convicted former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan – the state’s most powerful Democrat and the longest serving speaker in the history of the United States, after a four-month trial revealed evidence of using his power to enrich himself and top political allies.
The “Velvet Hammer,” as he was known in local political circles, was convicted on 10 counts, including one count of conspiracy, two counts of bribery, one count of a violation of the Travel Act involving a scheme with ComEd; three counts of wire fraud for offering paid state positions and three counts of violating the Travel Act for directing an emissary to set up meetings and close business deals to enrich his private law practice.
The jury remained deadlocked on six counts while acquitting Madigan on seven others.
The four-month trial captivated Illinois as the former House Speaker – who seemed untouchable for decades – was exposed as a corrupt politician who worked behind the scenes and used his political power to amass a multi-million dollar fortune and rewarded his allies with high-paying jobs that required little to no work.
The verdict comes less than 24-hours after his political enemy – former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich – was given a full and unconditional pardon by President Donald Trump.
Unlike Madigan, Blagojevich never took a dime or enriched himself while he was in office. And the so-called “sale of the Senate seat” was overturned on appeal. The former governor was working on political deals – discussions that happen every day in state capitols and in Washington, DC – and was never discussing how to sell the seat or personally profit from it.
Sources have shared with this publication that Madigan helped orchestrate Blagojevich’s downfall, and was working hard to impeach him after his re-election as governor. The two Democrat leaders never got along and Blagojevich refused to play his political games.
Madigan, 82, left the federal courthouse and did not speak to reporters.
On Wednesday, a jury convicted former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan – the state’s most powerful Democrat and the longest serving speaker in the history of the United States, after a four-month trial revealed evidence of using his power to enrich himself and top political allies.
The “Velvet Hammer,” as he was known in local political circles, was convicted on 10 counts, including one count of conspiracy, two counts of bribery, one count of a violation of the Travel Act involving a scheme with ComEd; three counts of wire fraud for offering paid state positions and three counts of violating the Travel Act for directing an emissary to set up meetings and close business deals to enrich his private law practice.
The jury remained deadlocked on six counts while acquitting Madigan on seven others.
The four-month trial captivated Illinois as the former House Speaker – who seemed untouchable for decades – was exposed as a corrupt politician who worked behind the scenes and used his political power to amass a multi-million dollar fortune and rewarded his allies with high-paying jobs that required little to no work.
The verdict comes less than 24-hours after his political enemy – former Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich – was given a full and unconditional pardon by President Donald Trump.
Unlike Madigan, Blagojevich never took a dime or enriched himself while he was in office. And the so-called “sale of the Senate seat” was overturned on appeal. The former governor was working on political deals – discussions that happen every day in state capitols and in Washington, DC – and was never discussing how to sell the seat or personally profit from it.
Sources have shared with this publication that Madigan helped orchestrate Blagojevich’s downfall, and was working hard to impeach him after his re-election as governor. The two Democrat leaders never got along and Blagojevich refused to play his political games.
Madigan, 82, left the federal courthouse and did not speak to reporters.
