Convicted ex-speaker’s pension payments to stop – Washington Examiner
Michael Madigan, the former Speaker of the Illinois House, will no longer receive pension payments following his recent conviction on multiple corruption charges. After a long legislative career spanning over 50 years, Madigan had been receiving benefits from the General Assembly Retirement System (GARS) since his retirement in 2021. His pension will be suspended beginning the month after his conviction, as stipulated by GARS policies which do not allow the recouping of benefits paid out before a felony conviction.
During the period from his retirement until the present, Madigan collected approximately $580,811 in pension payments, with an annual pension of $158,027. In total, he contributed around $352,345 to his pension over his career, with his lifetime benefits estimated to be around $1.65 million prior to his conviction.
Critics argue that as his crimes were connected to his official duties, he should be required to repay the pension benefits received. A bench trial for asset forfeiture related to his crimes is scheduled for May 5. His case reflects broader concerns regarding the Illinois pension system, especially as it struggles with underfunding issues while providing benefits that some lawmakers find arduous to alter.The jury found Madigan guilty on ten counts, including bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud, indicating serious violations of public trust. A date for his sentencing has not yet been established.
Convicted ex-speaker’s pension payments to stop
(The Center Square) – Illinois taxpayers are off the hook for Michael Madigan’s future pension payments, now that the former Illinois House speaker has been convicted of corruption.
Madigan, a Democrat, has received payments from the General Assembly Retirement System (GARS) since he retired in 2021 after 50 years in the Statehouse.
When a GARS retiree is convicted of a felony, the benefit is suspended the first of the month following the conviction. A GARS spokesman told The Center Square, “This is generally the earliest we can stop benefits as the monthly payments are finalized the 8th or 9th day of a given month.
According to the Illinois Policy Institute, Madigan collected a pension worth $158,027 in 2024 and received $580,811 between his retirement in 2021 through 2024.
Pursuant to state statute and board policy, GARS does not recoup benefits paid before a conviction.
Illinois Policy Institute Assistant Editor Dylan Sharkey said it shouldn’t be that way.
“Although he was just convicted now, he was convicted of crimes from years ago, well before he retired, meaning that he should have to pay back what he’s already been paid out, that $580,000,” Sharkey told The Center Square.
Madigan’s pension contributions were $352,345 over the course of his legislative career. Sharkey said his lifetime benefit was estimated at about $1.65 million before Wednesday’s conviction.
According Sharkey, lawmakers are not likely to change a system that favors them over the taxpayers.
“Illinois’ pensions are famously underfunded. The General Assembly Retirement System is actually one of the best-funded, which is even less of a reason for lawmakers to act on the pension crisis, because it doesn’t affect their personal lives,” Sharkey said.
Judge John Robert Blakey has scheduled Madigan’s forfeiture bench trial for May 5. After his conviction on 10 corruption-related charges Wednesday, Madigan faces potential forfeiture of some assets because he benefited off of his crimes.
Sharkey said it is time for Madigan to pay back what he owes the people of Illinois.
“There’s definitely a million dollars that should be up for grabs that taxpayers are owed, because his conviction was directly related to his work. Had he been convicted of crimes that were unrelated to his office, it would be a completely different story,” Sharkey said.
The jury convicted Madigan on 10 counts of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud and use of a facility to promote unlawful activity. Government attorneys said the former speaker repeatedly violated the public trust.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
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