Judge denies ex-Speaker Madigan’s request to remain out of prison during appeal

As an Oct. 13 prison report date gets closer, Madigan hires experienced appellate team

CHICAGO — A federal judge on Friday denied former Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan’s legal arguments that he should remain out of prison while his appeal of both his corruption convictions and 7 ½ year sentence play out.

Madigan is scheduled to report to prison on Oct. 13, though the federal Bureau of Prisons has not yet assigned him a facility. The former speaker, whose 36-year reign in Springfield made him the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, has already begun the appellate process, though his full arguments aren’t due for another few weeks. Former Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan departs the Dirksen Federal Courthouse after receiving a 7 ½-year prison sentence on corruptio