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Mike Madigan
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Mike Madigan
Michael Joseph Madigan (born April 19, 1942) is an American politician who was the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the longest-serving leader of any legislative body, state or federal, in the history of the United States. From 1983 until 2021, he held the position for all but two years. Considered the state's political boss, Madigan was a powerful figure in the Democratic Party of Illinois until his resignation from office in 2021. He was later convicted of bribery, wire fraud, and other criminal offenses arising from his time in office.
The son of a Democratic precinct captain from Chicago's 13th ward, Madigan began his career working within Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley's administration. First elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1970, he was reelected nine times and represented a portion of the city's South Side. At the time of his resignation, Madigan was the Illinois House's longest-serving member and the last legislator elected before the 1980 Cutback Amendment. He was also the chair of the state Democratic party for over 22 years, from 1998 until 2021.
Called "one of the most powerful men in Illinois history," Speaker Madigan controlled all redistricting in the state for several decades and ran an extensive patronage network that spanned state and local bodies. Due to his clout in state politics, Madigan was nicknamed "The Velvet Hammer" and "The Real Governor of Illinois." Rich Miller, editor of Capitol Fax, noted that "the pile of political corpses outside Madigan's Statehouse door of those who tried to beat him one way or another is a mile high and a mile wide." In a blow to his dominance, Madigan was denied an eleventh consecutive term as speaker by his fellow Democrats following the 2020 election. A month later, in February 2021, he resigned as a state representative and as party chair.
On March 2, 2022, Madigan was indicted on federal racketeering charges, with prosecutors alleging that Madigan led a criminal enterprise that sought to enhance his political power and enrich him and his allies. On February 12, 2025, Madigan was convicted on ten counts of bribery, wire fraud, and Travel Act violations. He was sentenced to 7½ years in prison and a $2.5 million fine. He began serving his sentence at a West Virginia federal prison on October 13, 2025.
Madigan's father, Michael, was "a very strong Democrat, he was a product of the Depression ... He carried with him very strong feelings in favor of many of the enactments of the New Deal." Michael J. Flynn was the Cook County Clerk, and also the Democratic committeeman of Chicago's 13th Ward, an unpaid, political-party leadership position. Madigan's father was a precinct captain in the 13th Ward and worked in the Cook County Clerk's office, where he befriended a young Richard J. Daley, who would later succeed Flynn as County Clerk prior to running for mayor of Chicago. Madigan later characterized the relationship between his father and Richard J. Daley as "political friends." The elder Michael Madigan later worked for 25 years as the 23th Ward superintendent for the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Despite their relationship, there was at times also hostility between the Madigan and Daley families as well, as each family sought to prove political dominance over the other.
Madigan was born on April 19, 1942, and was raised in the Clearing neighborhood of Chicago. Madigan graduated from Saint Adrian's Elementary School, St. Ignatius College Prep on the west side of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame. In 1965, while a first-year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Madigan bought a membership in the Lake Shore Club and introduced himself to Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley as Michael Madigan's son. Within months, at Madigan's father's request, Mayor Daley appointed Madigan to a summer job with the city law department between his first and second years of law school. Madigan also met Daley's son, Richard M. Daley, while both were law students. Madigan's father suffered a heart attack at age 58, and a fatal heart attack at age 60, in 1966. Madigan graduated from Loyola Law School in 1967. Madigan and Neil Hartigan worked together in the city law department.
Madigan and Richard M. Daley were both delegates to the 1969-70 Illinois Constitutional convention (which wrote the current Constitution of Illinois, adopted after Illinois voters approved it in the 1970 special election), and became good friends. Nevertheless, hostility could still exist between the two over political aspirations, with former Chicago operative Don Rose noting in 2013 that while there was no seriously bad blood between Madigan and Richard M. Daley, “there were jealousies and let’s say significant disrespect.”
In 1972, Madigan founded the private law firm of Madigan and Getzendanner with Vincent J. "Bud" Getzendanner Jr., a fellow Loyola law graduate, one year his senior. In 1976, Madigan married Shirley Murray, a divorced law firm receptionist with a young daughter, Lisa, whom Madigan adopted; Lisa later became Attorney General of Illinois in 2003.
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Mike Madigan
Michael Joseph Madigan (born April 19, 1942) is an American politician who was the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the longest-serving leader of any legislative body, state or federal, in the history of the United States. From 1983 until 2021, he held the position for all but two years. Considered the state's political boss, Madigan was a powerful figure in the Democratic Party of Illinois until his resignation from office in 2021. He was later convicted of bribery, wire fraud, and other criminal offenses arising from his time in office.
The son of a Democratic precinct captain from Chicago's 13th ward, Madigan began his career working within Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley's administration. First elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1970, he was reelected nine times and represented a portion of the city's South Side. At the time of his resignation, Madigan was the Illinois House's longest-serving member and the last legislator elected before the 1980 Cutback Amendment. He was also the chair of the state Democratic party for over 22 years, from 1998 until 2021.
Called "one of the most powerful men in Illinois history," Speaker Madigan controlled all redistricting in the state for several decades and ran an extensive patronage network that spanned state and local bodies. Due to his clout in state politics, Madigan was nicknamed "The Velvet Hammer" and "The Real Governor of Illinois." Rich Miller, editor of Capitol Fax, noted that "the pile of political corpses outside Madigan's Statehouse door of those who tried to beat him one way or another is a mile high and a mile wide." In a blow to his dominance, Madigan was denied an eleventh consecutive term as speaker by his fellow Democrats following the 2020 election. A month later, in February 2021, he resigned as a state representative and as party chair.
On March 2, 2022, Madigan was indicted on federal racketeering charges, with prosecutors alleging that Madigan led a criminal enterprise that sought to enhance his political power and enrich him and his allies. On February 12, 2025, Madigan was convicted on ten counts of bribery, wire fraud, and Travel Act violations. He was sentenced to 7½ years in prison and a $2.5 million fine. He began serving his sentence at a West Virginia federal prison on October 13, 2025.
Madigan's father, Michael, was "a very strong Democrat, he was a product of the Depression ... He carried with him very strong feelings in favor of many of the enactments of the New Deal." Michael J. Flynn was the Cook County Clerk, and also the Democratic committeeman of Chicago's 13th Ward, an unpaid, political-party leadership position. Madigan's father was a precinct captain in the 13th Ward and worked in the Cook County Clerk's office, where he befriended a young Richard J. Daley, who would later succeed Flynn as County Clerk prior to running for mayor of Chicago. Madigan later characterized the relationship between his father and Richard J. Daley as "political friends." The elder Michael Madigan later worked for 25 years as the 23th Ward superintendent for the City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. Despite their relationship, there was at times also hostility between the Madigan and Daley families as well, as each family sought to prove political dominance over the other.
Madigan was born on April 19, 1942, and was raised in the Clearing neighborhood of Chicago. Madigan graduated from Saint Adrian's Elementary School, St. Ignatius College Prep on the west side of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame. In 1965, while a first-year law student at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Madigan bought a membership in the Lake Shore Club and introduced himself to Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley as Michael Madigan's son. Within months, at Madigan's father's request, Mayor Daley appointed Madigan to a summer job with the city law department between his first and second years of law school. Madigan also met Daley's son, Richard M. Daley, while both were law students. Madigan's father suffered a heart attack at age 58, and a fatal heart attack at age 60, in 1966. Madigan graduated from Loyola Law School in 1967. Madigan and Neil Hartigan worked together in the city law department.
Madigan and Richard M. Daley were both delegates to the 1969-70 Illinois Constitutional convention (which wrote the current Constitution of Illinois, adopted after Illinois voters approved it in the 1970 special election), and became good friends. Nevertheless, hostility could still exist between the two over political aspirations, with former Chicago operative Don Rose noting in 2013 that while there was no seriously bad blood between Madigan and Richard M. Daley, “there were jealousies and let’s say significant disrespect.”
In 1972, Madigan founded the private law firm of Madigan and Getzendanner with Vincent J. "Bud" Getzendanner Jr., a fellow Loyola law graduate, one year his senior. In 1976, Madigan married Shirley Murray, a divorced law firm receptionist with a young daughter, Lisa, whom Madigan adopted; Lisa later became Attorney General of Illinois in 2003.
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