If anyone is still confused as to why most politicians try to claw their way up the political ladder, this is a great example.

Michael Madigan, the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, has officially been sentenced to prison after a tense hearing that saw him scolded by a judge.
In the final step of what has become a stunning political collapse, Madigan was sentenced to 90 months in prison and handed a $2.5 million fine. He will be forced to pay the fine immediately and serve three years probation.

During a legislative career that spanned a half-century, Madigan served nearly four decades as speaker, the longest on record for a U.S. legislator. Combined with more than 20 years as chairperson of the Illinois Democratic Party, he set much of the state’s political agenda while handpicking candidates for political office. More often than not, he also controlled political mapmaking, drawing lines to favor his party.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said, the Chicago Democrat built a private legal career that allowed him to amass a net worth of $40 million.

“Madigan’s criminal activity spanned nearly a decade and was particularly egregious because it involved efforts to enrich himself, both by maintaining his political power by securing do-nothing jobs for his political allies and by attempting to line his own pockets with legal business, prosecutors wrote in a court filing. “In so doing, Madigan served his own personal interests and not the interests of Illinoisans.”