Government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans. Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to research by the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy more than $550 million per year. What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved in what appears to be...

Lawyers for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan argued that even if he did recruit so-called “sham candidates” to siphon votes away from his 2016 primary opponent, such tactics aren’t against the law.

Do federal authorities have their sights set on the longest-serving state legislative leader in American history?