Springfield, Ill. (AP)-Michael Madigan’s stunning political collapse is expected to end on Friday, when the longest-time legislative leader in US history was sentenced to federal bribery, conspiracy and sentences for scheme to obtain job legislation in replacement.
The former House spokesman in Illinois was sentenced in February 10 out of 23 charges in a remarkable corruption process that lasted four months. The case was punctured through 60 witnesses and mountains of documents, photos and recorded conversations.
Madigan will appear in the US District Court on Friday in Chicago, where Judge John Robert Bleak will determine his sentence.
Federal prosecutors are looking for a 12-year prison. Madigan’s lawyers are seeking probation, claiming that the government’s verdict “will” condemn an 83-year-old man to die behind bars for crimes that did not enrich him a single penny. “
During a legislative career that spans half a century, Madigan served nearly four decades as a speaker, the longest record for US legislator. Combined with more than 20 years as chairman of the Democratic Party in Illinois, he identified much of the state’s political agenda while selecting candidates for a political position. More often, he also controls political mapping by drawing lines to prefer his party.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said, the Chicago Democrat built a private legal career that allowed him to accumulate a net worth of $ 40 million.
Madigan was convicted of 10 charges of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud and other accusations of providing approval of legislation favorable to Giant Giant Come in exchange for refusals and jobs and contracts for loyalists, including Chicago Alderman, who is looking for paid work at the State Council after retiring by the government.
The jurors are rammed by six charges, including a comprehensive racketeering conspiracy fee, and they have justified it at seven others.
“Madigan’s criminal activity has been stretching for almost a decade and was particularly outrageous because he included efforts to enrich himself-as he maintains his political power, providing no jobs for his political allies and by trying to arrange his own pockets with legal business,” prosecutors wrote. “In this way, Madigan serves his own personal interests, not the interests of Illinois.”
Defense attorneys called the Government’s recommended sentence “Dragonia” and, given the age of Madigan, a life sentence. They asked the glow to examine the totality of Madigan’s life and work and the need to take care of their wife at a five -year sentence, with one year of home detention, a requirement for a public service and a “reasonable fine”.
In a video presented in court, Madigan’s wife, Shirley, asks for a sentence for probation, explaining that Madigan is her caregiver and she will have to seek external help if she is in prison. And she says, “I’m part of it.”
“There are a few days in which I continue it,” Shirley Madigan says in the video. “He also holds me sometimes, but I think the impact I have on it was much, much more.”
The court received more than 200 letters to support Madigan, many voters, friends, leaders of non -profit organizations and other organizations interacting with the state. Some noted that they asked him for help only once. Most praise it for dedication, integrity or personal touch.
“Mike Madigan is a good person who has made an extremely good for others,” his lawyers wrote in a separate submission. “He is widely respected for his dedication to honesty and integrity.”
He tried with Madigan was his former legislative counterpart and longtime confidant Michael McClain. The jury could not decide on any of the six issues against McClain. However, he was convicted in a separate trial for coming conspiracy last year.