The other shoe is about to drop on former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan as his sentencing date looms.
First Madigan was convicted of corruption in February. Now he awaits his sentencing– which is happening next week.
NBC 5 Investigates has looked into the punishment Madigan could receive, what he and his attorneys think he should get, and what could end up occurring in court next week.
Both the government and Madigan’s defense team have been filing court paperwork aimed at swaying U.S. District Judge John Blakey. With sentencing a week from Friday, freedom is at stake for Madigan, who at age 83 could die in prison if the government’s recommended sentence is imposed.
It’s been nearly four months since Madigan left court as a convicted felon-having been found guilty by a federal jury of ten counts including bribery and conspiracy while serving as speaker of the Illinois house.
Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan was found guilty on 10 counts in a partial verdict in his federal corruption trial. NBC Chicago’s Natalie Martinez reports.
Now, in a federal court filing, prosecutors ask that Madigan be imprisoned for 12 1/2 years because he was “steeped in corruption” and that he “exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit …while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection.”
“The government focuses on the crime that that Speaker Madigan has been convicted of and that is horrendous,” said former assistant U.S. attorney Ron Safer on Monday. “It is an abuse of his power, and he had more power than most governors have.”
Safer, now in private practice in Chicago, says Judge Blakey will have to weigh the crime against Madigan’s entire life history-reflected in almost 250 letters sent to the court from family members, friends, former judges and prosecutors, political associates, business leaders and clergymen.
All of the letters cite Madigan’s alleged goodness and graciousness, honesty and integrity. Letter writers from numerous walks of life in the Chicago area wrote on his behalf, including White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, well-known priest Father Michael Pfleger and even the late former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson, who wrote before his death in 2020 that-despite being a Republican,he never questioned Madigan’s integrity.
Madigan is asking for probation and no jail time.
“I would expect that the judge will not give him probation because of the severity of the crime, but he will also not give him 12 1/2 years because of Mr. Madigan’s age and perhaps because of considerations of other things,” Safer says.
If the “Velvet Hammer” as he’s known gets nailed with a full 12 1/2 years as requested by the government, Madigan would be in rare air even by Illinois’ corruption standards.
Former Gov. George Ryan was sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison for racketeering and bribery when he was convicted in 2006.
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years for corruption charges and attempting to sell a U.S. Senate seat. On Feb. 18, 2020, President Donald Trump commuted Blagojevich’s prison sentence and he was released having service nearly eight years of the 14-year sentence. He was later pardoned by Trump on Feb. 10 of this year.
Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr, who was convicted of misusing campaign funds in 2013, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was issued a pardon by President Donald Trump, nearly five years after his sentence was commuted. NBC Chicago’s Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern reports.
Former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke was sentenced to two years in prison when he was convicted on 13 counts, including racketeering, bribery, and extortion in June 2024.
Burke is awaiting word on a pardon from the Department of Justice, or directly from Trump, just as fellow Blagojevich received.
Mike Madigan probably wouldn’t refuse Trump clemency either, but there is no read on whether that might happen.
Madigan is asking for permission to have his wife Shirley record a video for the judge because apparently, she’s too ill to come to court.
She is expected to join the long list of those asking for Madigan mercy.
