The Barbershop: Dennis Byrne, Proprietor

Mike Madigan’s under a cloud, but trial lawyers keep shoveling money his way

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House Speaker Mike Madigan

Hey everyone’s innocent until found guilty, right? House Speaker Michael Madigan hasn’t been charged with anything and he maintains his innocence, right?

Even though he showed up in an indictment as official “A” in the ComEd bribery scandal.

As the Cook County Record explains:

Federal prosecutors have placed powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan at the heart of a wide-ranging bribery scheme allegedly perpetrated by electrical utility ComEd.

However, that has not stopped political donors from pouring money into Madigan’s war chests. The Speaker, who also serves as chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party, then uses that money in large part to fund Democratic political campaigns and operations statewide.

A large chunk of Madigan’s campaign cash has continued to come from personal injury lawyers and other trial law groups whose money largely comes from businesses they sue in courts in Cook County, Madison County and elsewhere….

According to campaign finance records posted on Sept. 24, trial lawyers collectively donated $161,000 to the Friends of Michael J. Madigan, with all donations dated Sept. 21.

The who and how much are in the linked story.

And the beat goes on.