Federal prosecutors will be in court with an Illinois political corruption case

（单词翻译）

Federal prosecutors² will be in court with an Illinois political corruption³ case

Transcript⁴

The state's biggest political corruption case in a decade involves Michael Madigan, the ex-state Democratic chairman and political kingmaker. He faces 22 counts — including racketeering and bribery⁶.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

In Illinois, another political corruption case is making its way to federal court. It revolves⁷ around a long-time kingmaker in the State House. From member station WBEZ in Chicago, here's Dan Mihalopoulos.

DAN MIHALOPOULOS, BYLINE⁸: Democrat⁵ Michael Madigan was the Illinois House speaker for 36 years, making him the longest serving legislative⁹ leader in U.S. history. Former federal corruption prosecutor¹ Patrick Collins says Madigan not only controlled just about every bill at the state Capitol, he also installed his loyalists in patronage¹⁰ jobs across the state.

PATRICK COLLINS: What's uniquely Illinois about the Mike Madigan story is the depth and breadth of his influence and control throughout the machinery¹¹ of government.

MIHALOPOULOS: Ex-Speaker Madigan once used his full power as state Democratic Party chairman to help elect his daughter as Illinois attorney general. But now the soft-spoken Chicago politician, known as the Velvet¹² Hammer, has become a criminal defendant¹³, the boss of what U.S. Attorney John Lausch calls the Madigan Enterprise.

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JOHN LAUSCH: The indictment¹⁴ accuses Madigan of leading, for nearly a decade, a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance Madigan's political power and financial well-being¹⁵, while also generating income for his political allies and associates.

MIHALOPOULOS: This marks the biggest corruption case here in a decade, since Governor Rod Blagojevich was convicted of auctioning¹⁶ President Barack Obama's old Senate seat to the highest bidder¹⁷. Blagojevich was the fourth Illinois governor to end up in prison, though President Donald Trump¹⁸ released him early. U.S. Attorney Lausch says even now, prosecutors marvel¹⁹ at the seemingly never-ending examples of wrongdoing in Chicago and Illinois politics.

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LAUSCH: I think we all shake our heads sometimes when we think that there's another corruption case that's happening. And that's why I've defined our problem as a very stubborn one.

MIHALOPOULOS: Michael Madigan's downfall began when the state's largest utility, Commonwealth²⁰ Edison, admitted bribing²¹ him. In exchange for favorable legislation, ComEd hired Madigan's cronies for do-nothing consulting deals. The federal investigation²² led to Madigan finally losing his speaker's gavel a year ago. And he'll appear in court today for the first time to face 22 counts, including racketeering and bribery. After the indictment was unsealed last week, Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker said investigators²³ had talked to him about Madigan, but the governor looked to distance himself.

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J B PRITZKER: Michael Madigan must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Ultimately, every person in elected office is responsible for doing the right thing and not lining²⁴ their own pockets.

MIHALOPOULOS: But Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin charges Democrats²⁵, who have largely dominated state politics, do not take corruption seriously.

JIM DURKIN: I can't even keep all the Democrats straight who are now defendants²⁶ in the federal courthouse.

MIHALOPOULOS: Democratic lawmaker Kelly Cassidy and 18 others finally helped end Madigan's reign²⁷ as speaker by withholding²⁸ their support for him last year.

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KELLY CASSIDY: There were some pretty dark moments. I remember at the very beginning, just even talking about being frustrated²⁹ and wanting to say something and people recoiling³⁰, you know, like, I had something contagious³¹.

MIHALOPOULOS: Ex-Speaker Madigan denies wrongdoing. In a statement, he says prosecutors are trying to blame him for simply providing the constituent³² service of making job recommendations. And he's already spent almost $5 million of his campaign funds on defense³³ lawyers.

For NPR News, I'm Dan Mihalopoulos in Chicago.

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