Illinois lawmakers react to Madigan corruption verdict

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers voiced a wide range of reactions Wednesday following former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s conviction on multiple federal corruption charges. Republicans, who have long complained about his style of leadership, amplified their call for broader ethics reform in the Capitol while Democrats tried to put the Madigan era behind…

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Massey attorneys announce $10 million settlement in wrongful death case

Capitol News Illinois Wednesday would have been Sonya Massey’s 37th birthday. Instead, it was the day her family’s lawyers announced a $10 million settlement in their wrongful death lawsuit against Sangamon County and Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. The Sangamon County Board approved the settlement on Tuesday, seven months after a deputy shot the unarmed woman…

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Madigan guilty of bribery conspiracy as jury returns partial verdict

Capitol News Illinois This story will continue to be updated. CHICAGO – Former Democratic Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, has joined the list of Illinois political figures who’ve been convicted on public corruption charges after a federal jury Wednesday found him guilty on 10 of 23 counts. But…

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Pritzker emerging as one of Trump’s most vocal Democratic critics

Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker made a “special announcement” on Friday: Illinois is renaming Lake Michigan to “Lake Illinois” and annexing Green Bay, Wisconsin, “to protect itself against” the Green Bay Packers. The video shared by his campaign “was intended to inject some humor at a moment when I think people…

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Champaign County Jail Begins Tracking and Reporting Use of Restraint Chairs to the State for the First Time

Capitol News Illinois by Grace Hauck, Illinois Answers Project   CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – An Illinois Answers Project investigation into the use of restraint chairs in county jails raised questions about how Champaign County documents, tracks and reports use of the devices. Now, the facility has updated its record-keeping practices and is submitting required reports to…

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Trump pardons Blagojevich 5 years after commutation cut prison time short

Capitol News Illinois President Donald Trump on Monday granted a full pardon to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was convicted on 18 corruption counts, including for his attempt to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat in 2008 – and who holds the distinction of being the state’s only impeached governor. Trump’s pardon comes…

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