this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2025
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The stunning downward spiral of Michael Madigan’s political career ended Friday with a 7 1/2-year prison sentence and a $2.5 million fine for the former Illinois House speaker and the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history after he was convicted of trading legislation for the enrichment of his friends and allies.

U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey sentenced the 83-year-old in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

Nicknamed the “Velvet Hammer” for his quiet but hard-nosed style, Madigan was convicted in February on 10 of 23 counts in a remarkable corruption trial that lasted four months. The case churned through 60 witnesses and mountains of documents, photographs and taped conversations.

Federal prosecutors sought a 12 1/2-year prison term. Madigan’s attorneys wanted five years’ probation, saying he is a good man who tried to do right by taxpayers and needs to be home to care for his ailing wife, Shirley, who submitted a videotaped statement to the court requesting her husband be able to come home.

But Blakey noted that federal sentencing guidelines allowed for a term of 105 years based on findings in evidence — notably that Madigan committed perjury when he took the stand in his own defense. Blakey was particularly piqued over what he called “a nauseating display of perjury and evasion.”

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[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 day ago (8 children)

That is a badly flawed argument. Gerrymandering does not turn you into a horrible monster. If the democrats were to use gerrymandering to take over a state so that they could not be voted out, and than use that position to support social programs, poverty reduction, education, infrastructure improvement, and all the other things progressives want, then they would still be the good guys.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (7 children)

and all the other things progressives want, then they would still be the good guys.

There's the problem. Thats what the MAGAts tell themselves too.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (6 children)

Except the only ones talking about overthrowing the Government in coup attempts are the MAGA, and it took years of very careful planning to dismantle enough to get this perfect storm. Use the powers that the Republicans themselves put into place and turn the tables. Then win. Fix shit after. The cruel reality of our world is that even a hero cannot save everyone. It's bleak and black and white and sometimes even after you make all the right choices you can still end up in a losing fight.

Gotta tip those scales.

[–] CmdrShepard49 1 points 1 day ago

What does overthrowing the government have to do with anything when we're discussing corruption within the government? They're referring to MAGAts telling themselves that Republicans being in charge means they're going to take down "the deep state" but then nothing happens because it's all fantasy bullshit to earn votes. Democrats are guilty of the same thing.

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