“The sheer number and political stature of the Illinois elected officials and business leaders who were implicated, indicted or convicted in the 2020 is staggering,” University of Illinois at Chicago professor and former 44th Ward Ald. Dick Simpson said.
Michael Madigan

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu said former Ald. Danny Solis is one of the most significant government informants and witnesses of the last several decades.

Former Ald. Danny Solis caused “generational” harm to Chicago and residents of the 25th Ward, his successor told the judge overseeing the criminal case facing the disgraced former alderperson.

Chicago officials will get a chance to argue that the entire city was victimized by former Ald. Danny Solis, who is set to avoid prison and keep his city pension after helping investigators probe other politicians.

Disgraced former Ald. Danny Solis is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of bribery Wednesday morning by Judge Andrea Wood. But Solis will not be facing down the prospect of a long prison sentence if convicted.

Former Ald. Danny Solis was charged with taking money from an unidentified real estate developer when he was chair of the City Council Zoning Committee in 2015.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 22 counts alleging that he orchestrated a criminal enterprise for a decade while serving as Illinois’ most powerful politician.

The former Illinois House Speaker and longtime chairperson of the Democratic Party of Illinois faces multiple counts that carry prison sentences of up to 20 years each. And advocates say Mike Madigan’s indictment should be a call for reform of state government.

Anyone in line to file their petitions by the time election authorities opened their doors has a chance to be listed first on the ballot for their race, a position that could make a difference by attracting voters’ eyeballs in a close contest.

Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Ray Long began covering the statehouse at the beginning of Madigan’s historic reign as speaker of the House, and has unique insight into how he operated. Long joins Paris Schutz to discuss his new book on Madigan’s career.

For nearly 40 years, former Illinois House Speaker and state Democratic Party chairman Michael Madigan was at the epicenter of politics in Chicago and Illinois. Now, he’s at the epicenter of a corruption investigation. The news has Springfield reeling.

In his first public comments since the bombshell indictment was announced, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he cooperated fully with federal investigators and denied ever having conversations about appointing disgraced former Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis to a state position.

What do new federal charges mean for Illinois’ Democratic Party, public trust in state government, and for Michael Madigan himself? Our politics team weighs in on that story and more.

Michael Madigan, who served as speaker of the Illinois House for 36 years, led a criminal enterprise disguised as a political organization that was devoted to enriching himself and his associates, prosecutors alleged Wednesday.

Jay Doherty has pleaded not guilty to bribery conspiracy charges that accused him of being part of a scheme to reward those loyal to former House Speaker Michael Madigan with money and jobs.

Former House Speaker Michael Madigan ruled Illinois politics for decades. Amid the expanding ComEd bribery scheme investigation, Madigan stepped down from two powerful positions this year: the state speakership and chair of Illinois’ Democratic Party.