PEORIA Ill. – Following former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s conviction on multiple federal corruption charges this week, reporters covering the case are sharing insight into the months-long trial.
Hannah Meisel is a reporter with Capitol News Illinois – she joined WMBD’s The Phil Luciano Show, Thursday, to discuss what took the case so long to close.
“This is a sophisticated type of bribery, it’s not just cashing in an envelope. The bribes that he was alleged to have traded in were these indirect things, jobs and contracts for his allies,” Meisel said.
Meisel’s been covering Illinois Courts for more than a decade – but she was somewhat surprised at the end result of Madigan’s trial.
“People that I know in Springfield, and people that I talk to, we thought that if anything the jury might convict on what they deadlocked on and they were actually willing to acquit, but they ended up charging Madigan with bribery,” Meisel said.
Madigan was the longest serving legislative leader in U.S. history and was convicted on 10 charges of bribery and conspiracy.
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