Ex-Illinois Speaker Mike Madigan's attorneys ask for no prison time for bribery conviction
Lawyers for ex-Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan are asking that he not be sent to prison for his bribery conviction.
Federal prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of more than 12 years and a $15 million fine.
Earlier this year, a jury found Madigan guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including bribery and wire fraud.
CHICAGO - Attorneys for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan are asking that he not be given a prison sentence after he was convicted of bribery and conspiracy earlier this year.
What we know
Federal prosecutors have already called for sentencing Madigan to more than 12 years in prison, which his lawyers called "draconian," in a new court filing.
Madigan's attorneys argued it would essentially be a life sentence for the 83-year-old.
Instead, they're asking that Madigan be sentenced to five years' probation, including one year of home detention, community service, and a "reasonable" fine.
Prosecutors said they're also seeking a $15 million fine from Madigan.
"Madigan was in a special position of trust and responsibility to the public. Yet he deprived all residents of Illinois of honest government and eroded the public's trust," prosecutors wrote in their memo."
Earlier this year, a jury found Madigan guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including bribery and wire fraud.
The former speaker, arguably the most powerful politician in Illinois at one point, was accused of using his role leading the state House and heading the state Democratic Party to enrich himself and his allies by securing jobs, contracts, and other financial benefits.
What's next
Madigan's sentencing is scheduled for this Friday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
18 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Joe Biden Pardons 'Null and Void,' Ted Cruz Says
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Texas Senator Ted Cruz has argued some of the pardons and sentence commutations issued by President Joe Biden before he left office in January 2025 are likely legally "null and void" because they were signed off using an autopen en masse without Biden's explicit consent for each individual. Newsweek reached out to Cruz and Biden via email and the Department of Justice via an online inquiry form on Thursday for comment outside of normal working hours. Why It Matters During his time in office, Biden granted 4,245 acts of clemency, of which 96 percent took place between October 2024 and January 2025. This covered both convicted criminals and prominent figures who Biden's team believed could be targeted by a Trump White House, including Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. If some of Biden's pardons were not legally valid, it would mean certain individuals could see their commuted sentences reversed, while others could potentially face criminal prosecution. What To Know Speaking on his podcast Verdict With Ted Cruz in an episode released on Wednesday, the Texas Republican argued some of Biden's acts of clemency could be invalid because the former president had issued them for broad categories of people, with no evidence he approved them for each individual within these groups. Cruz cited a New York Times article published this week, which said: "Mr. Biden did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people, he and aides confirmed. "Rather, after extensive discussion of different possible criteria, he signed off on the standards he wanted to be used to determine which convicts would qualify for a reduction in sentence." Then-President Joe Biden speaking in North Charleston, South Carolina, on January 19, 2025. Then-President Joe Biden speaking in North Charleston, South Carolina, on January 19, 2025. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/GETTY Biden used his clemency powers to reduce the sentences of some nonviolent drug offenders and inmates who were given home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic. According to The New York Times, the then-president outlined the criteria for those he wanted pardoned, with the Bureau of Prisons subsequently providing a list of those who met the requirements. Citing an aide, The Times said, "rather than ask Mr. Biden to keep signing revised versions, his staff waited and then ran the final version through the autopen, which they saw as a routine procedure." Biden also commuted the death sentences of 37 federal inmates on death row to life without parole, pardoned his son Hunter, who was facing tax evasion and weapons charges, and preemptively pardoned other members of his family and political figures whom he thought could be targeted by the incoming Trump administration. The Department of Justice has stated that the president is permitted to use an autopen to sign executive orders, bills into law, or pardons. However, critics such as Cruz contend that Biden didn't individually approve all those included in some of the categories for which he issued clemency, making them legally dubious. What People Are Saying Texas Senator Ted Cruz said on his podcast: "I think the Trump White House needs to go through the examine what specifically has a paper trail that showed Biden signed off on the specific action, and those that there is no paper trail, that there is no are null and void. "Those have no legal force and my recommendation to [Attorney General] Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice is they should look specifically at the most vulnerable and devise and implement a legal challenge to challenge these and make clear that an unelected aide running an autopen does not have the power to grant a pardon under the United States Constitution." Former President Joe Biden told The New York Times of Republicans who say that his aides abused the autopen: "They're liars. They know it. They know, for certain. I mean, this is—look, what they, they've had a pretty good thing going here. They've done so badly. They've lied so consistently about almost everything they're doing." He added, "I made every decision," and said the autopen was only used for his signature because "we're talking about a whole lot of people." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Trump Justice Department will seek to challenge some of Biden's pardons and sentence commutations as illegal, and if so, how the cases will be resolved in court.
Fox News
18 minutes ago
- Fox News
Tim Walz questions why Democrats come off like they're against people being successful
Former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz wondered why the Democratic Party comes off like it's against people being successful, during a podcast interview on Thursday. Walz said that President Donald Trump was able to capture "this idea of wealth and being able to be successful," during a conversation with former DNC chair Jaime Harrison on his podcast, "At Our Table." "We, as Democrats, we want people to pay their fair share, but why are we against people being successful like that? We can't be. Why are we against? We should talk about businesses. Not all businesses exploit their workers and we get ourselves stuck in that. And I think we lose them," Walz continued. Walz and Harrison also talked about what occurred with young Black voters in 2024, citing a discussion Walz had with Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., who said a lot of "good-hearted politicians" go into Black communities and talk about restoring voting rights to felons. "And he said, not knowing how insulting that is for these young men to say, 'Look, I'm just looking for capital because I'm an entrepreneur. I got my JD from Georgetown, and I'd like to kind of do this. I'm thinking about starting this.' Where you're missing the point about, why are we narrowing it that it's about prison reform?" Walz said. Harrison also said he had gone head-to-head with people who are judgmental based on where or who people work for. Both Harrison and Walz insisted that the Democratic Party was stronger on the economy and better for businesses. "Look, the business community is finding [out] right now how bad a businessman Donald Trump is, crapping on the economy, you know, tariffs back and forth, threatening businesses," Walz said. The Minnesota governor went on to say "shame on you" to members of the business community who continue to support the president. "Can you imagine threatening individual businesses, saying, 'you're going to do this, or I'm going to do this,' as a leader? If you're in the business community, shame on you for supporting this guy still," Walz added. Walz argued that the Democratic Party should embrace being the party of "pro-business." "We're just simply talking about all businesses. What we don't want is monopolies. We don't want corruption. We don't want the folks that are preying on the communities that are bad actors, but we have this reputation that the business community is somewhat hands-off from us," he said. At a Center for American Progress (CAP) event in June, Walz suggested China might be the voice of "moral authority" following Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leaders.
CNN
18 minutes ago
- CNN
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans advance nomination of former Trump lawyer Emil Bove as Democrats walk out
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of Emil Bove, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, to a federal judgeship, over the loud protests of Democrats. The vote — in which all 12 Republican committee members voted to affirm Bove's nomination — occurred as Sen. Cory Booker railed against committee chair Chuck Grassley and as every Democratic senator walked out. If he is ultimately confirmed by the Senate, Bove, a senior Justice Department official, will hold a lifetime appointment to the bench for the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals. This story is breaking and will be updated.
