U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood is asking President Donald Trump to not grant former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s request for a pardon.
LaHood joined Illinois’ other congressional Republicans, Mike Bost and Mary Miller, this week in asking Trump to not cede to Madigan’s request and hold the longtime state powerbroker accountable for what the delegation called a “bribery and corruption scheme.”
Madigan was convicted in February and sentenced to more than seven years in prison on multiple counts including conspiracy, violations of the Travel Act, bribery and wire fraud. He reported to a federal prison in West Virginia in October.
“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,” LaHood, Bost and Miller wrote to Trump. “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.”
Republicans in Illinois have long rallied against Madigan, accusing him of corrupt practices for decades while Madigan served as House speaker in the Illinois legislature. Madigan, Illinois’ longest serving speaker, spent more than three decades in charge of the House.
In 2021 Madigan was ousted as House speaker after a handful of Democrats banded together and refused to put him back in the role. Madigan would resign from his seat after it became clear he would not have enough support from Democrats to retain his role as speaker, paving the way for Cicero Democrat Chris Welch to take over the job.
Trump, for his part, has issued a range of controversial pardons during his presidency, including a pardon for disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. In his pardon of Blagojevich, who was convicted of 17 counts of corruption in 2011, Trump said that Blagojevich was “set up” by “a lot of bad people.”
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: LaHood, Illinois Republicans ask Trump not to pardon Mike Madigan
Reporting by JJ Bullock, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
