South Central Reporter

Jason Plummer, a state senator from Illinois' 55th District, said that the conviction and prison sentence of former House Speaker Michael Madigan were insufficient to end corruption. He argued that Madigan was enabled by supporters, including current state officials.

"Madigan's years of using his position for power and personal gain has caused irreparable damage to our state that is still being felt today," said Plummer, State Senator 55th District (R), according to Facebook. "No amount of jail time or fines will fix that. While I'm appreciative of the federal government's work to bring him to justice and hold him accountable for his years of corruption, unfortunately Madigan is just one man. His enterprise was enabled by those who supported him, along with those who were all too willing to look the other way, many of whom are still in positions of power in state government."

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, aged 83, was sentenced to seven and a half years in federal prison on June 13. This information was released by the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey also imposed a $2.5 million fine on Madigan. He was convicted of using his official position to corruptly solicit and receive financial rewards for himself and his associates. Following a four-month jury trial, Madigan was found guilty of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, using interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, wire fraud, and bribery.

Screenshot of State Senator Jason Plummer's June 13 Facebook post | Jason

According to NBC 5 Chicago, Madigan is expected to report to prison on October 12. In addition to his 90-month sentence and the $2.5 million fine—due immediately—he must serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 12.5-year prison term, while the defense argued for probation, stating that the government’s recommended sentence would leave Madigan to die behind bars. "You took the law in your own hands and it is an aggravating factor in regards to the sentence," said Blakey as he handed down his sentence after debating whether the guidelines should be increased. He added that "acceptance of responsibility does not apply in this case" and noted during the hearing that sentencing guidelines could allow for a sentence exceeding 100 years in prison.

In a Department of Justice news release on Madigan’s sentencing, Douglas S. DePodesta, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office, commented on the investigation: "Mr. Madigan was elected to serve the people of Illinois, but his actions demonstrated time and time again that his priority was his own personal interests and gain." DePodesta further expressed gratitude towards "the dedicated investigative and prosecutorial teams," adding that "the FBI remains dedicated to aggressively investigating corruption and fraud."

Senator Plummer has served as State Senator for the 54th Senate District of the Illinois General Assembly since his election in 2018. As Senator, he focuses on representing Southern Illinois as what he describes as a strong and independent conservative voice for those he believes have been neglected by politicians in Springfield.