外网天堂

Defense attorneys are pointing to a Feb. 10 executive order from President Donald Trump pausing enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The president鈥檚 order says the law鈥檚 use has been 鈥渟tretched beyond proper bounds and abused in a manner that harms the interests of the United States.鈥�

The decadelong FBI investigation that led to Michael Madigan鈥檚 trial roiled local politics and changed the course of Illinois history. Prosecutors summoned 50 witnesses to a 12th-floor courtroom in a bid to prove Madigan and Michael McClain guilty of 鈥渃orruption at the highest levels of state government.鈥�

The surprise testimony offers window into the ex-speaker's famously closed world.

Budzinski, a Springfield Democrat who was elected to the 13th Congressional District seat in 2022, was called to testify about a scheme in which Madigan allegedly agreed to help then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis secure a paid seat on a government board in 2018 and 2019.

One of Illinois鈥� most powerful politicians is on trial. Get caught up on the critical points.

Budzinski, who now represents much of the Metro East in Congress, is a former aide to Gov. JB Pritzker. Prosecutors said they plan to call members of the governor's staff to show that Madigan regularly made recommendations about appointments.

The opening statements kicked off Monday in the trial of the longest-serving state House speaker in the country, and one of the most powerful politicians in Illinois history. The FBI has pursued Madigan for more than a decade, and the probe forced him from power in 2021.

Prosecutors have no plan to file a revised indictment against the disgraced former Illinois House speaker.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court鈥檚 conservative majority ruled that the federal bribery statute 鈥� referred to as 鈥淪ection 666鈥� 鈥� does not criminalize 鈥済ratuities鈥� given to a state or local public official after he or she has already performed an official act.

An Illinois judge told Tim Mapes, a former Madigan aide, his 鈥榣oyalty was greatly misguided鈥� in lying to grand jury investigating the former state house speaker.