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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Feds want lengthy 12 1/2-year prison sentence for ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan
CHICAGO — Calling former House Speaker Michael Madigan 'steeped in corruption,' federal prosecutors on Friday asked for a whopping 12 1/2-year prison term and $1.5 million fine for Madigan's conviction nearly four months ago on bribery and other conspiracy charges. 'The crimes charged and proven at trial demonstrate that Madigan engaged in corrupt activity at the highest level of state government for nearly a decade,' prosecutors wrote in their 72-page memo. 'Time after time, Madigan exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit by trading his public office for private gain for himself and his associates, all the while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection.' Prosecutors also want U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to punish Madigan for what they say were a series of lies he told on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense in January. 'Madigan has expressed no remorse for his crimes, nor has he acknowledged the damage wrought by his conduct,' the filing stated. 'Indeed, Madigan went so far as to commit perjury at trial in an effort to avoid accountability, and he persists in framing his actions as nothing more than helping people.' If prosecutors were successful, Madigan would be around 94 years old when eligible for release given federal convicts must serve 85% of their incarceration time. Madigan's lawyers, meanwhile, are set to file their own sentencing recommendations later Friday. His sentencing is set for June 13. Madigan, 83, once the most powerful politician in the state, was convicted by a jury Feb. 12 on bribery conspiracy and other corruption charges alleging he used his public office to increase his power, line his own pockets and enrich a small circle of his most loyal associates. The jury found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including one count of conspiracy related to a multipronged scheme to accept and solicit bribes from utility giant Commonwealth Edison. Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts. Madigan also was convicted on six out of seven counts — including wire fraud and Travel Act violations — regarding a plan to get ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a key FBI mole who testified at length in the trial, appointed to a state board. But after 11 days of deliberation, the jury's final verdict was mixed, deadlocking on several counts — including the marquee racketeering conspiracy charge — and acquitting Madigan on numerous others. Jurors also deadlocked on all six counts related to Madigan's co-defendant, Michael McClain. The verdict came after a four-month trial and capped one of the most significant political corruption investigations in Chicago's sordid history. It also cemented an extraordinary personal fall for Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in the nation's history who for decades held an iron-tight grip on the House as well as the state Democratic Party. ____
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Feds want lengthy 12 1/2-year prison sentence for ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan
Calling former House Speaker Michael Madigan 'steeped in corruption,' federal prosecutors on Friday asked for a whopping 12 1/2-year prison term and $1.5 million fine for Madigan's conviction nearly four months ago on bribery and other conspiracy charges. 'The crimes charged and proven at trial demonstrate that Madigan engaged in corrupt activity at the highest level of state government for nearly a decade,' prosecutors wrote in their 72-page memo. 'Time after time, Madigan exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit by trading his public office for private gain for himself and his associates, all the while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection.' Prosecutors also want U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to punish Madigan for what they say were a series of lies he told on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense in January. 'Madigan has expressed no remorse for his crimes, nor has he acknowledged the damage wrought by his conduct,' the filing stated. 'Indeed, Madigan went so far as to commit perjury at trial in an effort to avoid accountability, and he persists in framing his actions as nothing more than helping people.' If prosecutors were successful, Madigan would be around 94 years old when eligible for release given federal convicts must serve 85 percent of their incarceration time. Madigan's lawyers, meanwhile, are set to file their own sentencing recommendations later Friday. His sentencing is set for June 13. Madigan, 83, once the most powerful politician in the state, was convicted by a jury Feb. 12 on bribery conspiracy and other corruption charges alleging he used his public office to increase his power, line his own pockets and enrich a small circle of his most loyal associates. The jury found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including one count of conspiracy related to a multipronged scheme to accept and solicit bribes from utility giant Commonwealth Edison. Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts. Madigan also was convicted on six out of seven counts — including wire fraud and Travel Act violations — regarding a plan to get ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a key FBI mole who testified at length in the trial, appointed to a state board. But after 11 days of deliberation, the jury's final verdict was mixed, deadlocking on several counts — including the marquee racketeering conspiracy charge — and acquitting Madigan on numerous others. Jurors also deadlocked on all six counts related to Madigan's co-defendant, Michael McClain. The verdict came after a four-month trial and capped one of the most significant political corruption investigations in Chicago's sordid history. It also cemented an extraordinary personal fall for Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in the nation's history who for decades held an iron-tight grip on the House as well as the state Democratic Party. This is a developing story. Check back for details. jmeisner@
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Feds want lengthy 12 1/2-year prison sentence for ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan
Calling former House Speaker Michael Madigan 'steeped in corruption,' federal prosecutors on Friday asked for a whopping 12 1/2-year prison term and $1.5 million fine for Madigan's conviction nearly four months ago on bribery and other conspiracy charges. 'The crimes charged and proven at trial demonstrate that Madigan engaged in corrupt activity at the highest level of state government for nearly a decade,' prosecutors wrote in their 72-page memo. 'Time after time, Madigan exploited his immense power for his own personal benefit by trading his public office for private gain for himself and his associates, all the while carefully and deliberately concealing his conduct from detection.' Prosecutors also want U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to punish Madigan for what they say were a series of lies he told on the witness stand when he testified in his own defense in January. 'Madigan has expressed no remorse for his crimes, nor has he acknowledged the damage wrought by his conduct,' the filing stated. 'Indeed, Madigan went so far as to commit perjury at trial in an effort to avoid accountability, and he persists in framing his actions as nothing more than helping people.' If prosecutors were successful, Madigan would be around 94 years old when eligible for release given federal convicts must serve 85 percent of their incarceration time. Madigan's lawyers, meanwhile, are set to file their own sentencing recommendations later Friday. His sentencing is set for June 13. Madigan, 83, once the most powerful politician in the state, was convicted by a jury Feb. 12 on bribery conspiracy and other corruption charges alleging he used his public office to increase his power, line his own pockets and enrich a small circle of his most loyal associates. The jury found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts, including one count of conspiracy related to a multipronged scheme to accept and solicit bribes from utility giant Commonwealth Edison. Jurors also convicted him on two counts of bribery and one Travel Act violation related to payments funneled to Madigan associates for do-nothing ComEd subcontracts. Madigan also was convicted on six out of seven counts — including wire fraud and Travel Act violations — regarding a plan to get ex-Ald. Daniel Solis, a key FBI mole who testified at length in the trial, appointed to a state board. But after 11 days of deliberation, the jury's final verdict was mixed, deadlocking on several counts — including the marquee racketeering conspiracy charge — and acquitting Madigan on numerous others. Jurors also deadlocked on all six counts related to Madigan's co-defendant, Michael McClain. The verdict came after a four-month trial and capped one of the most significant political corruption investigations in Chicago's sordid history. It also cemented an extraordinary personal fall for Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in the nation's history who for decades held an iron-tight grip on the House as well as the state Democratic Party.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois lawmakers consider fixes to energy policy that's been outpaced by power-hungry technology
CHICAGO — When Illinois enacted a sweeping clean energy law in 2021, the state was seen as ahead of the curve in promoting renewable energy standards and creating clean energy jobs. But with advances in technology such as generative artificial intelligence driving up energy usage across the country, Illinois lawmakers from both parties, as well as environmental advocates, say the state's energy policy has fallen behind. In the final days of the spring session, lawmakers are working on a legislative package aimed at addressing the state's growing energy needs and rising costs without derailing the ambitious goals championed by Gov. JB Pritzker to make the state carbon-free by midcentury. 'What we're trying to do is find ways to ensure those capacity spikes don't continue for years into the future, and there's really only two ways of doing that, and that's by either decreasing demand for electricity or increasing supply,' said state Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat who's leading energy legislation efforts in the Senate. 'I think that's really the underlying impetus for energy bills this session.' Due to supply cost increases, the average bill for a residential Commonwealth Edison customer is expected to increase this summer by $10.60 per month. The typical Ameren customer's monthly bill is expected to increase by approximately 18% to 22%, depending on their usage. Cunningham said while lawmakers don't have control over the expected increased electricity charges going into effect this June, they can work to mitigate future spikes. The state's past energy legislation, such as the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which aims for 40% renewable energy by 2030, did not account for the dramatic rise in energy usage from data centers and other large energy developers, Cunningham said. There are several business developments, such as data centers, being planned in Illinois that could bring a total of 30 gigawatts of electricity, the equivalent of 3 billion light bulbs, to the grid starting in 2029, according to Anna Markowski, Midwest director of Place-Based Advocacy on Climate and Energy for the Natural Resources Defense Council. That's more than double the grid's current maximum capacity, Markowski said. A study by the Illinois Commerce Commission released early May estimated that the state could lose approximately $12 billion in direct development investments, along with $60 billion in hardware and systems investments, for every gigawatt of power that can't be provided. 'The markets are screaming at us, saying build more generation,' said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. 'Everyone's bidding for a limited amount of power.' Lawmakers sent a 600-page draft of energy legislation to stakeholders in early May, less than two weeks before the end of session. The measure's proposals range from expanding nuclear energy to increasing large-scale energy storage in batteries. One proposal would require new data centers and other large energy users building in Illinois to bring their own renewable energy to the grid, or pay a higher fee into the state budget that would fund other renewable projects. The measure is backed by environmental interests and others who say the companies building large data centers and other businesses that sap energy resources should pay more, instead of having the burden fall on homeowners and small-business users. 'Once those big loads start to come on the grid, we're going to start to see instability,' Markowski said. 'We're going to start to see costs transferred onto every household, and so what we're trying to do within the bill is protect against that by making them bring new energy. You can't just cannibalize whatever we have here.' Illinois electrical consumers, from residential consumers to commercial data centers, are already required to pay a fee to the state's renewable portfolio standards, which fund the part of the state budget used to award grants to renewable energy developers. But the fee for new data centers and other large energy users would be three times larger under the latest proposal. Denzler warned the higher fee could have an adverse impact on economic development in the state. 'I mean your costs right there are going to be astronomical for a large user, and they're just going to go to Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and other states,' Denzler said. Another proposal that's received increased support this year is a plan that could expand nuclear power by lifting a moratorium on the construction of new nuclear plants, an idea organized labor and manufacturers have historically backed while environmental groups have opposed. Gov. Pritzker has indicated support for the idea of allowing flexibility on new nuclear plants, a shift from his previous position against large-scale nuclear plants. He vetoed a bill to lift the state's decade-old moratorium on new nuclear plants in 2023. 'We're looking forward to having a bill that comes to my desk that will allow us to expand the options for nuclear in the state of Illinois,' Pritzker said in mid-April. 'But it has to be done in the right way, and I think the legislature and my team are working together to make sure that that happens.' The legislative draft also would create an ambitious new goal for large-scale energy storage through large batteries that would absorb excess wind and solar power for later use, along with goals to deliver clean, low-cost energy, while also promoting several efficiency measures supporting virtual power plants. Cunningham said that if the larger legislative package does not come together, proposals within the measure could still be pushed as individual bills. 'We'll see if it bears fruit,' Cunningham said. ____
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers consider fixes to energy policy that's been outpaced by power-hungry technology
When Illinois enacted a sweeping clean energy law in 2021, the state was seen as ahead of the curve in promoting renewable energy standards and creating clean energy jobs. But with advances in technology such as generative artificial intelligence driving up energy usage across the country, Illinois lawmakers from both parties, as well as environmental advocates, say the state's energy policy has fallen behind. In the final days of the spring session, lawmakers are working on a legislative package aimed at addressing the state's growing energy needs and rising costs without derailing the ambitious goals championed by Gov. JB Pritzker to make the state carbon-free by midcentury. 'What we're trying to do is find ways to ensure those capacity spikes don't continue for years into the future, and there's really only two ways of doing that, and that's by either decreasing demand for electricity or increasing supply,' said state Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat who's leading energy legislation efforts in the Senate. 'I think that's really the underlying impetus for energy bills this session.' Due to supply cost increases, the average bill for a residential Commonwealth Edison customer is expected to increase this summer by $10.60 per month. The typical Ameren customer's monthly bill is expected to increase by approximately 18% to 22%, depending on their usage. Cunningham said while lawmakers don't have control over the expected increased electricity charges going into effect this June, they can work to mitigate future spikes. The state's past energy legislation, such as the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which aims for 40% renewable energy by 2030, did not account for the dramatic rise in energy usage from data centers and other large energy developers, Cunningham said. There are several business developments, such as data centers, being planned in Illinois that could bring a total of 30 gigawatts of electricity, the equivalent of 3 billion light bulbs, to the grid starting in 2029, according to Anna Markowski, Midwest director of Place-Based Advocacy on Climate and Energy for the Natural Resources Defense Council. That's more than double the grid's current maximum capacity, Markowski said. A study by the Illinois Commerce Commission released early May estimated that the state could lose approximately $12 billion in direct development investments, along with $60 billion in hardware and systems investments, for every gigawatt of power that can't be provided. 'The markets are screaming at us, saying build more generation,' said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association. 'Everyone's bidding for a limited amount of power.' Lawmakers sent a 600-page draft of energy legislation to stakeholders in early May, less than two weeks before the end of session. The measure's proposals range from expanding nuclear energy to increasing large-scale energy storage in batteries. One proposal would require new data centers and other large energy users building in Illinois to bring their own renewable energy to the grid, or pay a higher fee into the state budget that would fund other renewable projects. The measure is backed by environmental interests and others who say the companies building large data centers and other businesses that sap energy resources should pay more, instead of having the burden fall on homeowners and small-business users. 'Once those big loads start to come on the grid, we're going to start to see instability,' Markowski said. 'We're going to start to see costs transferred onto every household, and so what we're trying to do within the bill is protect against that by making them bring new energy. You can't just cannibalize whatever we have here.' Illinois electrical consumers, from residential consumers to commercial data centers, are already required to pay a fee to the state's renewable portfolio standards, which fund the part of the state budget used to award grants to renewable energy developers. But the fee for new data centers and other large energy users would be three times larger under the latest proposal. Denzler warned the higher fee could have an adverse impact on economic development in the state. 'I mean your costs right there are going to be astronomical for a large user, and they're just going to go to Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and other states,' Denzler said. Another proposal that's received increased support this year is a plan that could expand nuclear power by lifting a moratorium on the construction of new nuclear plants, an idea organized labor and manufacturers have historically backed while environmental groups have opposed. Gov. Pritzker has indicated support for the idea of allowing flexibility on new nuclear plants, a shift from his previous position against large-scale nuclear plants. He vetoed a bill to lift the state's decade-old moratorium on new nuclear plants in 2023. 'We're looking forward to having a bill that comes to my desk that will allow us to expand the options for nuclear in the state of Illinois,' Pritzker said in mid-April. 'But it has to be done in the right way, and I think the legislature and my team are working together to make sure that that happens.' The legislative draft also would create an ambitious new goal for large-scale energy storage through large batteries that would absorb excess wind and solar power for later use, along with goals to deliver clean, low-cost energy, while also promoting several efficiency measures supporting virtual power plants. Cunningham said that if the larger legislative package does not come together, proposals within the measure could still be pushed as individual bills. 'We'll see if it bears fruit,' Cunningham said.
