Ex-House speaker Michael Madigan, formerly the most powerful man in Illinois politics, “conspired to enhance and preserve (his) power and line his pockets” for years, prosecutors said at the outset of marathon closing arguments in Madigan’s corruption trial.

Madigan's defense attorney Dan Collins, when he began his own closing arguments Friday afternoon, rebutted that the government's case wasn't as strong as it would like the jurors to believe. He argued it relied on jurors' cynicism regarding politicians to fill in evidentiary gaps.

Prosecutors began wrapping up their final summations Friday on Day 3 of closing arguments in the former speaker’s landmark trial by presenting an overview of how the various bribery and corruption schemes alleged in the government’s 23-charge indictment all come together under count one: racketeering conspiracy.

To convict Michael Madigan of a racketeering conspiracy, jurors will need to find that Madigan or his close ally agreed that two so-called racketeering acts would be committed — not that they were actually carried out.

In his testimony earlier this month, former House Speaker Michael Madigan cast himself as a champion of the working class, a consensus-builder who used his power to bring people together on legislation and protect constituents from greedy utilities and corporations.

Michael Madigan’s defense team has begun closing arguments at the former Illinois House speaker’s corruption trial in Chicago. Madigan attorney Dan Collins opened Friday afternoon by quoting his client,

Madigan, 82, and his co-defendant, political ally and confidant Michael McClain, are accused of running a criminal enterprise designed to enrich the former speaker and his associates and increase his political power.

Friday concluded day three of closing arguments in the corruption trial for former Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and longtime political advisor Michael McClain.