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By Illinois Review
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Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan — the most powerful Democrat machine boss in modern state history — is now reportedly trying to convince President Donald J. Trump to pardon his federal prison sentence.
The request would be astonishing from any politician. Coming from Madigan, it is almost unbelievable.
For decades, Madigan championed everything Trump fought against: relentless tax hikes, sanctuary-state policies, protection for illegal immigrants, and a political machine that crushed working families while enriching insiders.
Madigan didn’t just operate inside the system — he built the machine that drove Illinois into fiscal ruin.
No one in modern Illinois history raised taxes more aggressively. Under his control, residents were hit repeatedly. Since 2011, Madigan personally pushed or approved more than 70 bills that raised taxes or fees — income taxes, gas taxes, vehicle fees, cigarette taxes, business taxes, sports-betting taxes, and more.
The 2011 income-tax hike alone drained billions from family budgets. In 2017, Madigan forced through another massive increase by overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto. And in 2019, he backed doubling the gas tax — now automatically rising every year.
And when a Democratic governor refused to go along with Madigan’s tax-hike agenda, Madigan moved to destroy him.
Rod Blagojevich openly rejected Madigan’s plan to raise taxes on working families. Madigan responded exactly as a machine boss would: he led the effort to impeach him.
Months before the FBI’s predawn raid, Madigan circulated a detailed 14-page memo outlining the political case to remove Blagojevich — essentially pre-writing the roadmap for his downfall.
Madigan made noise — and Robert Mueller listened.
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