Sangamon Sun

The federal government is seeking a 12.5-year prison sentence and a $1.5 million fine for Michael J. Madigan, the former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, following his conviction on corruption charges earlier this year. The sentencing is scheduled for June 13.

Federal prosecutors argued in their sentencing memo that "the crimes charged and proven at trial demonstrate that Madigan engaged in corrupt activity at the highest level of state government for nearly a decade." They further stated, "Time after time, Madigan exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit by trading his public office for private gain for himself and his associates, all the while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection."

Madigan's tenure as Speaker ended with his removal in January 2021 amid a federal bribery investigation. He resigned from his legislative seat one month later after serving more than 50 years in the legislature, including 36 years as Speaker. During much of that period, he also led the Illinois Democratic Party.

House Republican Leader Tony McCombie commented on the recommended sentencing: “Mike Madigan’s fall from power is no surprise — it’s the bill coming due for decades of corruption.” He added, “He betrayed the public trust, lined his pockets, and now faces justice. Illinois deserves better.”

In response to Madigan's conviction, Republicans are advocating for stronger ethics measures. Deputy Republican Leader Ryan Spain remarked, “No amount of time behind bars can pay back the people of Illinois for the corruption that Mike Madigan poisoned our statehouse with over his decades in power, but I commend federal prosecutors for seeking as strong a sentence as they could.” He urged Democrats to address ethical loopholes in Illinois government.

Spain emphasized the need for ethics reform: “I’ve said more times than I can count, Illinois needs to act on ethics reform so we can stop relying on federal prosecutors to clean up our mess,” he continued. “The time for honest, transparent government in the state of Illinois is now!”