Illinois’ three Republican members of Congress are urging President Donald Trump not to use his pardon powers to grant clemency to imprisoned former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Pardoning Madigan, a Southwest Side Democrat who for decades was arguably the state’s most powerful politician, “would send a dangerous message that public officials can betray the public trust with impunity,” U.S. Reps. Mike Bost of Murphysboro, Darin LaHood of Peoria and Mary Miller of Hindsboro wrote in a two-page letter to Trump.
The Tuesday letter from the three, who represent much of downstate Illinois, came a week after the Tribune and other media reported that Madigan had officially asked Trump for clemency following his February conviction on multiple corruption charges.
Madigan applied through the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney for a “pardon after completion of sentence,” according to records. The application is pending, according to the office’s website.
The investigation that led to the former speaker’s conviction and 7½-year prison sentence “revealed that Madigan used his decades of political power to direct contracts, influence state agencies, and manipulate the awarding of government funds for personal gain and the benefit of allies. His actions harmed the people of our state and undermined their trust in their government,” the three Republicans wrote.
The related convictions of former Commonwealth Edison executives and lobbyists, including Madigan confidant Michael McClain, “underscore this was a broad and serious corruption network, and that multiple participants were held accountable under the law,” they wrote.
“Granting clemency in this case would not only reward a lifetime of unethical behavior but also embolden other public officials to exploit their offices for personal gain,” the lawmakers concluded. “For these reasons, we respectfully urge you to deny any request for a presidential pardon from Michael Madigan. Denying his request is the best way to ensure Illinois residents know their leaders are held to the highest standards of integrity.”
Several sources previously told the Tribune that Madigan also sought relief from Trump through back channels in Washington around the time of his sentencing in June, but the White House took no action. Current and former lawyers for Madigan have said they didn’t have a role in crafting the petition, which is not publicly available.
Madigan, 83, began serving his sentence in October at a medium-security prison in West Virginia. His expected release date is March 2032, not long before his 90th birthday.
The White House declined to comment on Madigan’s pardon request or the Republican lawmakers’ letter, noting that “the president is the final decision maker on all pardons and commutations.”
While Madigan has applied through the formal clemency process, Trump has taken an unconventional — and surprisingly bipartisan — approach to pardons.
In February, the president gave a full pardon to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat whose prison sentence for federal corruption convictions Trump commuted during his first term.
Bost and LaHood, who were in office in 2018 when Trump freed Blagojevich from prison eight years into his 14-year sentence, were critical of the president’s decision at the time.
When Trump pardoned Blagojevich earlier this year, LaHood said in a statement that while he respected the president’s pardon powers, it “was a mistake” to clear the former governor’s slate.
“Former Gov. Blagojevich has a clear and documented record of egregious corruption and has been criminally convicted by a jury,” LaHood said. “This decision harms the faith and trust citizens have in our justice system.”
Madigan, the longest-serving state legislative leader in U.S. history, was convicted on 10 of 23 charges after a four-month trial that concluded in February. A federal jury convicted him on charges including bribery conspiracy related to a scheme to funnel money from ComEd to Madigan associates who were subcontractors with no real duties for the utility giant.
An appeal of Madigan’s conviction is pending before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
