Michael Madigan, Chicago Democrat, former speaker of the Illinois House and for decades one of the nation's most powerful legislators, was charged with racketeering and bribery Wednesday, becoming the most prominent politician swept up in a federal investigation of entrenched government corruption in the state.
The 106-page indictment alleges Madigan used not just his role as speaker, but various positions of power to further his alleged criminal enterprise, including his chairmanship of the Illinois Democratic Party.
A spokeswoman for Madigan in 2020 denied the ComEd-related allegations and said Madigan would cooperate with the investigation that will "Clearly demonstrate that he has done nothing criminal or improper."
Madigan's former chief of staff, Timothy Mapes, was indicted in May for lying under oath to a federal grand jury investigating ComEd.
Others, including an associate of Madigan's, were indicted in November on charges accusing them of orchestrating a bribery scheme with ComEd.
The defendants were also accused of conspiring to have ComEd hire a law firm favored by Madigan and to accept into ComEd's internship program students who resided in Madigan's 13th Ward, even though some didn't meet its requirements, according to the indictment.
Madigan's daughter, Lisa, served as Illinois attorney general from 2003 to 2019.Pay-to-play allegations were raised against Madigan, but he denied them and none resulted in criminal charges.
It's becoming increasingly difficult to discern fact from fiction, and unfortunately the media has a strong bias. They spin stories to make conservatives look bad and will go to great lengths to avoid reporting on the good that comes from conservative policies. There are a few shining lights in the media landscape-brave conservative outlets that report the truth and offer a different perspective. We must support conservative outlets like this one and ensure that our voices are heard.
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Illinois’ ex-House speaker charged with racketeering
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