On Friday, former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison, followed by three years of probation and a $2.5 million fine. This sentencing comes after Madigan’s conviction for his involvement in a decade-long scheme with Commonwealth Edison that involved securing no-show jobs and lobbying contracts for political allies in return for favorable legislation.
Representative Severin, who served alongside Madigan during his tenure as Speaker, expressed strong approval of the sentence. “Mike Madigan is a convicted felon. He belongs in jail, and that’s where he’s going for a long time,” Severin stated. He accused Madigan of consolidating power through corruption and stopping beneficial legislation while rewarding political allies.
Severin has been vocal about the need for ethics reforms to prevent legislators from becoming lobbyists immediately after leaving office and opposes allowing public officials to use campaign funds for legal defenses related to corruption trials—a practice Madigan engaged in using millions raised during his time as Speaker.
Severin urged action on ethics reform following the conviction: “If Madigan’s conviction and lengthy prison sentence don’t cause Democrats to act on ethics reforms, maybe nothing ever will, and that is a shame.” He called upon colleagues from both sides of the aisle to join him in efforts to change what he described as Illinois’ culture of corruption.
