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* John O’Connor at the AP…
The state’s most powerful politician once explained that while mulling a tough decision, he’d often glance across his desk at a photo of the late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley “and just ask myself, ‘What would he do?’ It’s very helpful.”
Michael Madigan’s fealty to the man both lauded and lambasted as “the Boss,” who died nearly a half-century ago, is understandable. Madigan, who made a hobby of collecting and consolidating power in nearly four decades as speaker of the Illinois House, owed his career to Daley, who halfway into his 21-year iron rule of Chicago took the young law school graduate under his wing.
But the anecdote in “The House that Madigan Built: The Record Run of Illinois’ Velvet Hammer,” by Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long, due for release Tuesday by the University of Illinois Press, hints at the 79-year-old Madigan’s undoing. His endurance flowed from his agility to change with attitudes and times — a young Catholic conservative who came to embrace abortion rights, same-sex marriage and recreational marijuana. But the attitudes and times ultimately outlasted his allegiance to the old ways. […]
To Madigan, who declined Long’s request to be interviewed, democracy and its institutions are a fulcrum to elevate the working class. An added bonus was fueling his power “by helping people through the government maze, and particularly the people who helped him with elections,” said Long, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist.
* Capitol News Illinois…
“I cannot imagine seeing a plea deal in this case,” said Nancy DePodesta, a former federal prosecutor and current white-collar criminal defense lawyer at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr. “I also think that you’re going to see a significant delay before this case goes to trial.” […]
In defending himself, Madigan could argue, DePodesta said, that much of what the government describes as racketeering isn’t that far beyond the parameters of what would be expected from anyone in a powerful office such as speaker of the House.
“So I think that if I’m the defense, I certainly want to try to minimize some of the statements, point to some of the things that perhaps the speaker did not say,” she said. “Certainly, explain what it means to be the speaker of the House, and what are some of the functions that are expected in in that capacity.” […]
“The government is not limited to the evidence that it has on the date of indictment,” she said. “In fact, it is very common for the government’s case to improve and become an even stronger case, as they continue to investigate and prepare for trial.”
* St. Patrick’s day fundraising email from the ILGOP…
Friend,
From Madigan’s indictment to Pritzker’s corrupt administration falling apart, corrupt Illinois Democrats have had a very UNLUCKY month. Perhaps that’s why Pritzker has dumped a whole pot of gold into his Facebook ad campaign.
Give some gold to our FIRE PRITZKER fund
Pritzker and his corrupt Democrat allies are ready to dump even more gold into clearing their names and deflecting from answering for their deeds. That’s why we’re asking you to chip in $17 to make sure Democrats’ luck RUNS DRY!
This St. Patrick’s Day, Illinoisans can raise a glass to the wheels of justice finally beginning to spin, but we can’t get complacent. There’s still lots of Springfield corruption that needs to be cleaned out.
We know we can count on you to take back Illinois. A truly LUCKY campaign season starts with your generous contribution.
Sincerely,
Illinois Republican Party
CONTRIBUTE
* Former one-term Democratic state Rep. Diane Pappas was recently appointed to the vacancy created when Sen. Tom Cullerton resigned. Maria Gardner at the Daily Herald caught up with her…
Pappas said her background as a Poland-born immigrant who moved to the United States with her family at the age of 10 has affected her point of view on a key question facing Democrats — the future influence of former House Speaker Michael Madigan,
Madigan, who resigned from the House after failing to win the speakership last year, was charged in federal court last week with 22 counts of corruption. He remains state central committeeman for the 3rd Congressional District, and party leaders have called for him to resign. Pappas, however, said she sees that decision as a personal choice for the former House speaker, who she said should be considered innocent until proven guilty.
In communist Poland where she grew up, “the presumption of innocence, if it even existed, was in name only,” she said
“You shouldn’t have to give up the things you’ve worked hard for just because you’ve been accused of something,” she said. “We have a judicial system because we thought that would be a fair way to determine these kinds of outcomes.”
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 8:17 am
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==“I cannot imagine seeing a plea deal in this case,”==
I assume this means MJM is unlikely to accept one? I think the Feds probably have some incentive to be lenient with an 80 year old man.
Comment by Arsenal Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 8:32 am
===I think the Feds probably have some incentive to be lenient with an 80 year old man===
They put Vrdolyak back in prison, so, no.
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 8:36 am
===outlasted his allegiance to the old ways===
It’d be swell if people wouldn’t use flowery language to describe public corruption and criminal schemes to abuse public office for personal gain by requiring people to pay bribes or to hire you, your company, or your friends in order to secure support for legislation.
It was illegal when Mike Madigan did it and it was illegal when Richard Daley did it. Shakman filed his first law suit over illegal hiring practices in 1969. The legacy of devotion to public corruption needs to be correctly labeled. It’s not the old ways. They were criminals then, they are criminals now. Mike Madigan’s actions didn’t become corrupt, they’ve always been corrupt. It just took decades for enough evidence to be stacked up against him to lead to an indictment. Thank goodness for people who call the FBI instead of paying a bribe or ignoring one.
His legal team should really ask themselves some hard questions before the launch the Blagojevich Defense.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 8:55 am
==Maria Gardner at the Daily Herald caught up with her…==
Ms. Gardner must have been walking backwards.
Comment by A Guy Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 8:57 am
The Feds win 95 percent of their cases because the defendants do not have the financial resources to hire great attorneys and put on a good case.
Madigan has the financial resources, and great attorneys. Also, Madigan truly believes he is innocent of the charges. I do not see a plea deal unless the terms are very favorable for Madigan.
Comment by MOON Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 9:08 am
There are many hurdles left before Madigan does a day in jail. There’s pre-trial motions which could last 2 years if not longer. Who knows what the federal judge will allow or disallow? Who knows how healthy Madigan really is ? Even if convicted, the judge might delay sentencing (like Jussie ) while on appeal. It appears, Rich will have a Madigan round up for a while.
Comment by Steve Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 9:27 am
Madigan had a WWJD thing except it wasnt “what would Jesus do?” abbreviation but rather “What would J ( as in Richard J Daley) do?” And that was fine for about 30 years of MJM’s career. Heck, I admire it even.
Thing is, times changed.
As others have mentioned, back in the day Committeemen would often get jobs for their guys in the private sector when a govt job wasnt available. It was common practice.
Im not an attorney but i suspect Madigan will argue that getting jobs for constituents was perfectly fine and that if the company assigned very little work, well, that was on them.
Comment by low level Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 9:40 am
Moon-actually the Fed success rate is slightly higher then 95 due to (1) sentencing guidelines afford a benefit to plea bargaining but more importantly (2)they don’t indict until their cases are a lock which is why the investigations take years
Comment by Sue Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 10:10 am
===Im not an attorney but i suspect Madigan will argue that getting jobs for constituents was perfectly fine and that if the company assigned very little work, well, that was on them. ===
This is literally what the Mob used to do as a part of their extortion schemes and racketeering schemes. Madigan’s argument here is that it’s not extortion or racketeering if a public official does it with a wink and a nudge, or with the implication that something good will happen or something bad will happen based off of their response.
This is absolutely not a good criminal defense. Standard operating practices that are identical to the mob are not a good thing to be hanging your hat on.
===Thing is, times changed. ===
Could you please highlight for me when this behavior was legal?
We really need to stop celebrating criminals and praising them for their criminal schemes because they got away with it and pretending like it was a victimless crime because the public at large was the primary victim.
Comment by Candy Dogood Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 10:14 am
Whenever I’m addressed as “Friend”…I feel for my wallet…instinctively.
Comment by Dotnonymous Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 1:32 pm
Candy, the practice of Committeemen refering people to private sector jobs can be read about (among other stories about the old
organization) in We Dont Want Anyone Anyone Sent by Milton Rakove.
Not sure if they were refering “with a wink and a nod” as you said, or if they expected theyd be assigned work, but that is the crux od the problem is it not?
Lets say you use me as a reference for a job. Or I have a friend hiring and I send you. I say you are the best worker in the world. The entity hires you. Once hired, its out of my hands.
Now if the Fed can prove Madigan told ComEd to give them nk show jobs, thats one thing. I doubt they can do that, however. Madigan referred someone, it was out if his hands as to what work would be assigned at that point. Thats the argument at least.
Comment by low level Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 1:56 pm
Candy (or anyone wanting to understand the old machine) - any of Len O’Connor’s books are excellent. Forget Boss by Royko. Yes he goes into issues w them but for a systematic and easy to understand read on Richard J. Daley and his organization, I highly recommend Len O’Connnor.
Comment by low level Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 1:59 pm
== Dont Want Anyone Anyone Sent by Milton Rakove.==
Sorry. The book is We Dont Want Nobody Nobody Sent. Long day.
Comment by low level Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 2:08 pm
What would Richard J. Daley have said about Danny Solis? I can’t recall old man Daley getting involved in the lobbying activities of publicly traded companies either.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Mar 21, 22 @ 4:58 pm