Madigan Trial Day 44

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan walks toward the Dirksen Federal Courthouse flanked by his attorneys Tom Breen and Todd Pugh ahead of a fourth day of closing arguments in his federal corruption trial. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)

BY HANNAH MEISEL CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Attorneys for ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan finished their closing arguments Monday in the longtime speaker’s federal corruption trial.

Capitol News Illinois reports Madigan’s lawyers spent nearly eight hours picking apart the feds’ case, accusing the government of cherry-picking evidence to prove their suspicions. 

Defense attorneys urged the jury to consider each lie former Chicago alderman-turned-FBI mole Danny Solis told Madigan and others while he was cooperating with the government.

Among other allegations, the feds say Madigan engaged in bribery when he agreed to recommend Solis to a high-paying state board while the alderman was introducing him to potential law firm clients.

But the former speaker’s lawyers say there was never any bribery agreement, and Madigan’s limited efforts to help Solis were borne of a decadeslong political alignment.