The first appearance in the case of the United State of America v. Michael J Madigan and Michael M McClain took place on Wednesday via telephone conference. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole handled the arraignment. Speaking through one of his attorneys, Mike Madigan pled not guilty to all counts in the indictment against him.
Madigan was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 2 on 22 counts of alleged public corruption, including racketeering, bribery, wire fraud, and extortion. In the 106-page indictment, the former House Speaker was accused of using his positions as Speaker of the House, Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party, and 13th Ward Democratic Committeeman to create a criminal enterprise to solicit personal financial rewards for himself, his allies, and his associates.
Madigan was first elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1971, and served as Speaker for all but two years from 1983-2021, when he resigned under a cloud of controversy.