Madigan Pleads Not Guilty
Former House Speaker Michael Madigan pleaded not guilty to federal racketeering charges Wednesday.
Former House Speaker Michael Madigan didn’t have to do the traditional “perp walk” in front of cameras at the federal courthouse Wednesday, but he still faced arraignment on federal racketeering charges.
Madigan was arraigned via telephone.
More from the Chicago Tribune:
Madigan didn’t say a word during the brief telephone hearing, instead letting his attorney, Gil Soffer, enter a not guilty plea on his behalf to a 22-count indictment alleging a nearly decadelong racketeering conspiracy that included numerous acts of bribery and extortion.
During the 10-minute session, which, over the objection of prosecutors, was held remotely due to the building’s COVID-19 protocols, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole went over the terms of Madigan’s bond, which doesn’t require the former speaker to put up any money.
He also had prosecutors recite each of the counts Madigan faces along the maximum penalties, which range from five years in prison for bribery up to 20 years behind bars for the main count of racketeering.
With that, the hearing was over. Madigan’s case was up next for a status hearing April 1 before U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey, who will set a schedule for discovery and pretrial motions. It’s likely Madigan’s appearance would be waived for that hearing, Cole said.
The arraignment was a far cry from the hoopla created by other pre-pandemic political corruption cases at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where politicians from Ald. Edward Burke to Gov. Rod Blagojevich have been forced to walk through a gantlet of reporters and television news cameras.
But the entering of a formal plea had the same effect, essentially starting the legal clock on Madigan’s case ticking toward a potential trial.
It could also mark the only time in the foreseeable future when Madigan will be required to participate in a hearing in the case at all, since most judges have waived defendants’ appearances in nonviolent criminal cases, particularly during the pandemic.
If this goes to trial, it won’t be anytime soon.
One of Madigan’s top confidants and co-defendant, Mike McClain, also pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
