>>> HELLO AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

PARIS SCHUTZ HAS THE EVENING OFF.

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH DRAMATIC NEWS FROM FEDERAL COURT IN CHICAGO.

GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS.

THAT IS THE VERDICT FOR EACH OF THE FOUR DEFENDANTS IN THE CON ED BRIBERY TRIAL, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CORRUPTION CASES SINCE ROB NINKOVICH.

AND THE NEWS JUST CAME DOWN IN THE PAST HALF HOUR OR SO.

TELL US ABOUT THE VERDICT.

>> ALL FOUR DEFENDANTS WERE ALL FOUND GUILTY OF BRIBERY.

HERE IN THE DIRKSEN COURTHOUSE.

IT WAS PRETTY SUBDUED AS THE JUDGE WENT THROUGH THE CHARGES.

EACH CHARGE WAS GUILTY COUNTS.

HE READ THROUGH THEM PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

THERE WAS NO SHOUTING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IT WAS SURPRISING, I THINK, THAT THEY WERE GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS.

>> ANY IDEA ON THE SENTENCING AND WHAT THAT MIGHT BE?

>> Reporter: OF THE CHARGE THEY WERE ALL CONVICTED ON WAS BRIBERY.

THEY COULD SPEND FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR THAT.

WE WON'T KNOW THE EXACT SENTENCE UNTIL SENTENCING.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE GETTING SOME REACTION BEHIND YOU SO WE WILL LET YOU GET BACK TO COVERING THE STORY.

MATT MASTERSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND REMIND US WHAT THIS CASE CAME DOWN TO!

>> SO BRANDIS, I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MAJOR THIS CASE IS.

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT ACTUALLY ON TRIAL, HE IS THE LONGEST-SERVING HOUSE SPEAKER NOT JUST IN ILLINOIS , BUT IN THE NATION.

HE WAS THOUGHT TO BE SOMEBODY WHO WAS UNTOUCHABLE, WHO WAS SO CAREFUL AND HE KNEW THE LAW.

THAT IS WHAT YOU HEARD THE DEFENDANTS ARGUE.

IT MAY SEEM UNSEEMLY AND THE JURORS MIGHT NOT LOVE ALL THIS, BUT IT IS ON THE UP AND UP.

WE SAW THE JURY SAYING AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT ON, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THEY APPARENTLY SAID THIS IS CORRUPT.

IT IS NOT JUST THIS TRIAL.

HE HIMSELF WILL BE ON TRIAL.

ONE OF THE DEFENDANTS, HIS CLOSE CONFIDANT, MIKE McLEAN, ONE OF THE LOBBYISTS THERE, THEY WERE CHARGED IN MARCH 2022.

SO MADIGAN WILL BE IN COURT RELATED TO THIS COMMENT SITUATION, BUT PROSECUTORS ALLEGE THAT HE STEERED BENEFITS ILLEGALLY BY STEERING TOWARDS PROPERTY TAX LAWS.

>> SO THIS WILL BE RELATED TO HIM AND HIS OWN CASE STARTING IN APRIL NEXT YEAR.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR HIM?

>> HE HAS NOT SPOKEN TO THE PRESS AND HAS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE.

HE HAS SAID, AGAIN, THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE ALLEGED TO HAVE GOTTEN THIS SCHEME WHERE THEY SHARED WHO WAS GOING TO BE HIRED BASED OFF OF LOBBYING AND STATE CONTRACTORS.

CONED WAS WORKING TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED AND TURN THE TIDE FOR FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MADIGAN?

WE DON'T KNOW.

HE DENIED THAT HE HAD DONE ANYTHING WRONG.