THE ILLINOIZE: Monday Free for All...Madigan sentenced...Pritzker in DC hot(ish) seat...
June 16, 2026
Good morning, Illinois.
I was playing in a golf outing Friday afternoon as the Michael Madigan sentencing took place in Chicago. I was refreshing our friend Jon Seidel’s twitter page about every 30 seconds. One of those “twitter still has value” moments that are getting more and more rare.
The House and Senate are out. Governor Pritzker signs the FY26 budget into law at 11 in Chicago.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR MONDAY FREE FOR ALL
(note: we’re not responsible for paywalls and restrictions from other news outlets, because good journalism isn’t free)
Michael Madigan sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for corruption convictions (Chicago Sun-Times)
Five months ago, the man long known to Illinois as “Mr. Speaker” made the stunning decision to climb onto the witness stand, swear an oath and tell his side of the story.
But along the way, Michael J. Madigan denied his famous friendship with the fixer known as Michael McClain. He denied a promise he made to the once-powerful Ald. Danny Solis. And he denied his role in a bribery scheme in which Illinois’ largest utility tried to buy his favor.
It turns out, U.S. District Judge John Blakey didn’t buy his tale.
“To put it bluntly, it was a nauseating display,” the judge said during the former speaker’s long-anticipated sentencing hearing Friday.
Then, the judge locked eyes with Madigan, the man once regarded as the state’s most powerful politician. Blakey looked down at him from the bench and said, “you lied, sir. You lied.”
“You did not have to,” Blakey continued. “You had a right to sit there and exercise your right to silence. But you took that stand and you took the law into your own hands.”
Then, Blakey gave Madigan 7 ½ years in prison and a $2.5 million fine — one of the harshest public corruption sentences Chicago has seen in years. The Southwest Side Democrat who became the longest-serving state House leader in the country is due in prison Oct. 13.
The sentence is more than triple that given last year to former Chicago Ald. Edward M. Burke. It surpasses the 6 ½-year sentence handed in 2006 to ex-Gov. George Ryan. But it fell short of the 12 ½ years prosecutors sought, or the 14 years once given to ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Madigan, 83, could be nearly 90 by the time he’s served his sentence. But his fight for freedom clearly isn’t over. His attorneys told the judge they hope to keep Madigan out of prison while he appeals his conviction.
Despite the hefty sentence, Madigan had a smile on his face as he walked to an elevator near Blakey’s 12th-floor courtroom at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. When he reached the lobby, he walked briskly past reporters, clutching an umbrella and briefcase as a daughter and lawyers walked by his side.
The slight smile remained.
Another of Madigan’s daughters, former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, was noticeably absent from the courthouse Friday afternoon.
Related: Ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison after judge excoriates him for lying on witness stand (Chicago Tribune)
Ex-Speaker Madigan sentenced to 7 ½ years in prison for bribery, corruption (Capitol News Illinois)
Longest-serving legislative leader in US history given 7 1/2 years in federal corruption case (Associated Press)
Madigan sentenced to 7.5 years in prison in corruption case (Crain’s Chicago Business)
‘A tale of two Mike Madigans’: How the ex-Speaker’s trial testimony offered his life story but also route to 7 1/2-year sentence (Chicago Tribune)
Republicans, some Democrats and even ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich weigh in on ex-Speaker Michael Madigan’s sentence (Chicago Tribune)
Editorial: Madigan is gone. The mess remains. (Crain’s Chicago Business)
Editorial: The sad application of justice in the Michael Madigan saga (Chicago Tribune)
Pritzker defends Illinois' immigration policy in combative congressional hearing (Bloomington Pantagraph)
In a marathon congressional hearing with political theatrics on full display, Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday defended Illinois' immigration policies while denouncing the Trump administration's recent enforcement actions and the federal government's longstanding failure to enact comprehensive reforms.
Pritzker, along with Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York and Tim Walz of Minnesota, appeared before members of the House Oversight Committee in a sometimes-heated hearing on their states' immigration policies.
Each state generally limits state and local cooperation with the federal government on civil immigration enforcement, policies that are sometimes referred to as "sanctuary" or "welcoming" laws and ordinances.
This hearing comes just days after Trump, in an extraordinary display of presidential power, ordered the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles to put down protests over federal immigration raids. All three governors at various times criticized that approach, saying it unlawfully usurps their powers as commanders-in-chief of their National Guard units.
"And as we are reminded in Los Angeles this week, we can all agree that violence of any kind, whomever it is directed at, is unacceptable," Pritzker said, but adding that "we expect the federal government to follow the law too."
“We will not participate in abuses of power,” Pritzker said. “We will not violate court orders, we will not ignore the Constitution. We will not defy the Supreme Court. We will not take away people's rights to peacefully protest.
"We also respect and expect this administration to respect the traditions and legal precedent that dictate how and when our National Guard and military are deployed.
Related: Gov. JB Pritzker survives 'political circus' in Washington as GOP pins immigration woes on Democrats (Chicago Sun-Times)
Pritzker defends Illinois’ immigration laws in theatrical congressional hearing (Capitol News Illinois)
Gov. JB Pritzker uses House hearing to defend Illinois’ sanctuary laws and to slam Congress for not passing immigration reforms (Chicago Tribune)
‘He wants mayhem’: Pritzker criticizes Trump, defends Illinois’ immigration policy (Daily Herald)
TOP STORIES LAST WEEK ON THEILLINOIZE.COM
POLITICAL POTPOURRI
Public transit agencies begin planning for ‘doomsday’ funding scenario (Capitol News Illinois)
Measure before Gov. JB Pritzker would streamline firearms ID process for low-level gun offenders (Chicago Tribune)
Decatur racino developers plan to 'work through the summer' to win support for proposal (Bloomington Pantagraph)
Secretary of state’s office says law enforcement using license plate reader data illegally (Chicago Tribune)
Evanston activist announces bid to replace Rep. Schakowsky in Congress (Daily Herald)
Editorial: Chicago’s Springfield delegation socks it to the city’s taxpayers with reckless pension bill (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: The balancing act of competing resources and priorities (Shaw Media)
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