Inside the federal indictment of state's former house speaker

– Capitol News Illinois

In a 106-page, 22-count indictment, federal prosecutors painted a picture of former House Speaker Michael Madigan as the leader, along with a longtime confidante, of a sweeping criminal enterprise that influenced legislation for personal power and financial gain.

“The Madigan Enterprise,” as prosecutors called it in the document filed Wednesday, benefitted from Madigan’s position as a Democratic ward committeeman, speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois and law partner at Madigan & Getzendanner.

In those capacities,...