M
ichael Madigan, a powerful Illinois politician and top lawyer for property tax appeals, is on trial for racketeering. His defense attorney argues that while Madigan did favors for associates as Speaker of the Illinois House from 1997 to 2021, these actions were not corrupt but rather routine political operations. The prosecution alleges that Madigan used his position to establish a network of corruption, rewarding allies with lucrative contracts and benefiting utility giants.

    Defense attorney John Mitchell claims there's no evidence of bribery between Madigan and former ComEd lobbyist Michael McClain, who is also on trial. Mitchell argues that the government has misconstrued routine lobbying as criminal activity. Testimonies from former state representatives Carol Sente and Scott Drury described Madigan's influence over the legislative process, but defense attorneys pointed out that not all of his opponents' bills failed.

    Madigan, 82, and McClain, 77, maintain their innocence, with their defenses focusing on the notion that prosecutors have misinterpreted routine politics as crime. The trial is experiencing collateral damage from high-profile corruption cases in Chicago's real estate industry, including Ed Burke's conviction for misusing influence to benefit his firm.