(The Center Square) – Closing arguments have begun at the public corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in Chicago.
“Power and profit,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz said Wednesday afternoon as she started her address to the jury on behalf of the government. “Michael Madigan and Michael McClain conspired to preserve Madigan’s power and line his pockets.”
Schwartz said Madigan, who pleaded not guilty to 23 corruption-related charges, was the most powerful politician in the state of Illinois and controlled legislation in state government. As chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, “Madigan controlled the campaign financing of politicians across the state,” Schwartz said…