Caption by Ashmar Mandou

After 11 days of jury deliberation, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been found guilty of 10 counts of federal corruption charges including conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery. Madigan was convicted on 10 counts in total, relating to his efforts to secure a valuable state board position for former Alderman Daniel Solis and to the most wide-ranging of the alleged bribery schemes outlined by the government involving utility giant Commonwealth Edison. According to the Illinois Policy Institute, “The verdict of this case held former Speaker Madigan accountable for his years of corrupt action, but the battle against Illinois’ culture of political corruption must continue,” said Austin Berg, vice president of marketing for the Illinois Policy Institute and author of “The New Chicago Way.” “To truly protect taxpayers and voters, we need serious ethics reforms at both the state and city level.”  Madigan represented the 22nd District on Chicago’s Southwest Side for 50 years and led the Democratic Party of Illinois for 20 years.