End of an Era: Chicago's Irish Political Dynasty Crumbles Under Weight of Corruption
- Natalie Frank
- Jun 24
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 26
As Madigan and Burke fall, Chicago's 150-year-old Irish political machine comes to dramatic and dishonorable close
Natalie C. Frank. Ph.D 6/24/2025
CHICAGO — Inside a federal courtroom last week, one of the most enduring political machines in American history finally drew its last breath. Michael Madigan, once the powerful Illinois House Speaker and a towering figure in Democratic politics, was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for corruption, marking the end of the road for Chicago’s legendary Irish political empire.
Madigan, who’s now 83, held onto control of the Illinois House for nearly four decades, exercising influence that went well beyond his official role. His fall brings down a political titan alongside Ed Burke, a former City Council leader who is serving a two-year federal sentence for bribery and extortion. These two represent the last major leaders of a political dynasty built by Irish-American immigrants, shaped through secret dealings, ward politics, and transactional power.
Their decline isn’t just about individual lives — it signals the end of a political culture that defined Chicago for over 150 years. The roots of Chicago’s Irish political machine stretch back to the mid-1800s, when poor Irish immigrants arrived fleeing famine.
