Former Illinois House Speaker Indicted on Alleged Racketeering Charges

Michael Madigan, the former powerful Illinois politician who served as the Illinois House speaker for 24 years, has been indicted by federal authorities on 22 counts of racketeering, The Chicago Tribune reported. Madigan’s right-hand man, Michael McClain, was also indicted on allegations of bribery.   

Madigan, first elected to the Illinois House in 1971, resigned in 2021 after losing a bid for speaker while facing both sexual harassment allegations and a federal corruption investigation.

The investigation looked into a number of incidents of suspected corruption. A major part was his alleged involvement in a $2.8 million bribery scheme with electrical giant Commonwealth Edison, where the company paid thousands of dollars to Madigan’s lobbyists to get favorable state contracts, The Tribune reported.

Madigan is also accused of illegally soliciting business for his law firm during talks to turn a piece of state-owned land in Chinatown into a commercial development, according to the newspaper.

Former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis helped bring down Madigan by secretly cooperating with federal authorities during the Chinatown land probe, The Tribune reported.

The indictment also alleges that Madigan met with Gov. JB Pritzker in 2018 to discuss giving Solis a lucrative state board position to thank him for helping Madigan get business for his firm.

In a statement to the Tribune, Pritzker claimed he “does not recall” that conversation. 

Madigan denied the allegations, claiming that prosecutors are trying to criminalize legal political actions like job recommendations.

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