{"id":2497879,"date":"2025-10-11T14:40:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T18:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-illinois-speaker-madigan-to-begin-prison-sentence\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T14:41:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T18:41:39","slug":"former-illinois-speaker-madigan-to-begin-prison-sentence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-illinois-speaker-madigan-to-begin-prison-sentence\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Illinois speaker Madigan to begin prison sentence"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fformer-illinois-speaker-madigan-to-begin-prison-sentence%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2497879&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michael J. Madigan, the former Illinois House speaker and one of the most powerful lawmakers in the state&#8217;s history, is set to begin a 7.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-president-trump-gives-pardons-to-73-individuals-and-commutes-another-70-sentences-steve-bannon-is-included\/\" title=\"BREAKING: President Trump Gives Pardons to 73 Individuals and Commutes Another 70 ...s \u2013 Steve Bannon Is Included\">5-year prison sentence<\/a> on October 13. Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021 and was speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021.Earlier this year, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-doctor-who-conned-women-into-hysterectomies-sterilizations-for-insurance-money-gets-60-years-in-prison\/\" title=\"Virginia Doctor Who Conned Women Into Hysterectomies, Sterilizations For Insurance Money Gets 60 ...s In Prison\">federal jury convicted<\/a> him on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >multiple counts including bribery<\/a>, conspiracy, wire fraud, and promoting unlawful activity. Federal Judge John Robert Blakey sentenced Madigan to prison and ordered him to pay a $2.5 million fine.<\/p>\n<p>Experts note that while Madigan was long considered a political master at navigating legal boundaries, his conviction and sentencing mark a meaningful fall from power in Illinois politics. Commentators also referenced past illinois leaders who went to prison, including former U.S.House Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Governor Rod Blagojevich.<\/p>\n<p>Madigan&#8217;s sentence is seen as especially impactful due to his long-term influence and the erosion of public trust in government attributed to his actions. The case highlights ongoing issues of corruption within Illinois political leadership.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Former Illinois speaker Madigan to begin 7.5-year prison sentence Monday<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2369458\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; One day before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/illinois\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Illinois<\/a> General Assembly&rsquo;s fall veto session is scheduled to begin, one of the most powerful lawmakers in state history is headed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/prison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prison<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Michael J. Madigan (D-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chicago\/\">Chicago<\/a>) served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021 and was speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021. He chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois for 23 years and led Chicago&rsquo;s 13th Ward Democratic Organization.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3846607\/arrest-made-week-after-alabama-mass-shooting-killed-two-wounded-12\/\">Arrest made a week after Alabama mass shooting killed two and wounded 12<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3846183\/eric-adams-relates-indictment-letitia-james\/\">Eric Adams relates his own indictment to Letitia James: &#8216;Let the process play out&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3846350\/nh-supreme-court-justice-return-bench-misdemeanor\/\">NH Supreme Court justice to return to bench after misdemeanor charge<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>A federal judge sentenced Madigan to 7.5 years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $2.5 million earlier this year, after a jury convicted the former speaker on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud, and use of a facility to promote unlawful activity.<\/p>\n<p>Judge John Robert Blakey presided over the trial of Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain. Blakey also sentenced Madigan and ordered the former speaker to report to prison at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13.<\/p>\n<p>Brian Gaines, Honorable W. Russell Arrington Professor in State Politics at the University of Illinois,&nbsp;said he did not think Madigan would end up behind bars.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I always thought he was a master of control and someone who had figured out just how to tiptoe along the lines of legality but stay on the right side,&rdquo; Gaines told The Center Square.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines said it was not unprecedented for Illinois to have a legislative leader sentenced to prison, adding that there was a period when Illinois had two powerful House leaders.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If you referred to the speaker, you had to be clear about whether you meant the speaker of the Illinois House, Michael Madigan, the most powerful man in Illinois, or the speaker of the U.S. House, Dennis Hastert, who at the time was a prominent Illinois politician in a position of great power and who himself landed in prison,&rdquo; Gaines said.<\/p>\n<p>In 2016, Hastert (R-Plano) was sentenced to 15 months in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-defector-emails-pipeline-to-obama-admin-seen-as-currency\/\" title=\"Hunter Biden Defector Emails: &#039;Pipeline&#039; to Obama Admin Seen as &#039;Currency&#039;\">federal prison<\/a> after he pleaded guilty to illegally structuring cash withdrawals in order to evade financial reporting requirements. The plea deal followed accusations that Hastert sexually abused students at a school where he worked years before.<\/p>\n<p>Gaines said the broader public has a short memory for political names.<\/p>\n<p>So if you&rsquo;re not someone who follows politics closely, I think the news that a former speaker is going to prison might make people shake their heads, but they&rsquo;ll have forgotten most of the details. They&rsquo;ll think it&rsquo;s some sort of financial crime, just bribery of some kind. It fades fast, I think, for people who don&rsquo;t care very much about politics,&rdquo; Gaines said.<\/p>\n<p>Blakey described the case as &ldquo;really sad&rdquo; when he handed down Madigan&rsquo;s sentence.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Being great is hard, but being honest is not,&rdquo; Blakey said.<\/p>\n<p>Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker suggested at the sentencing hearing that Madigan&rsquo;s damage to the fabric of Illinois was even greater than the damage done by convicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-Chicago).<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3815067\/trump-terrorist-organizations-antifa-tren-de-aragua-ms-13-houthis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HERE ARE THE GROUPS TRUMP HAS DESIGNATED AS TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In 2020, President Donald Trump commuted Blagojevich&rsquo;s 14-year prison sentence for public corruption and then granted the former governor a full pardon earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Governors, they came and went over the years, but Madigan stayed. His power and his presence remained constant,&rdquo; Streicker said. &ldquo;The primary harm is the erosion of trust in government.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former Illinois Speaker Madigan to start 7.5-year prison term Monday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3892,"featured_media":2497882,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/illinois-speaker-mike-madigan.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[8773,46479,32433,44104],"class_list":["post-2497879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-corruption","tag-illinois-politics","tag-prison-sentence","tag-rod-blagojevich"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/illinois-speaker-mike-madigan.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3892"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2497879"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2497884,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2497879\/revisions\/2497884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2497882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2497879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2497879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2497879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}