Winchester Native Ray Long Plans Second Book on Madigan Prosecution

Ray Long, a Winchester High School graduate and retired investigative reporter, announced plans for a second book examining the investigation and prosecution of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, returning to territory he first explored in "The House That Madigan Built."

Long confirmed he has already begun the project, which will draw on new sources, updated legal developments, and deeper analysis of the political and institutional questions raised by the Madigan case. The book is expected to include interviews, timeline reconstruction, and a close examination of the system that allowed Madigan's influence to accumulate over decades in Springfield.

His first book traced the arc of Madigan's political rise and the machinery of power behind it. The follow-up is framed as both narrative history and investigative analysis, consistent with the approach Long applied throughout a career spent covering Illinois politics and government corruption.

Winchester's connection to Long runs deeper than geography. His career placed him at the center of Illinois political journalism for years, and his return to the Madigan story hands the region a direct link to one of the most scrutinized corruption prosecutions in state history, one that reshaped conversations about legislative ethics, concentrated political authority, and the accountability of long-serving officeholders.

Madigan served as Illinois House Speaker for most of the period between 1983 and 2021, wielding influence that extended well beyond the chamber floor. Federal prosecutors charged him in connection with an alleged scheme to use the power of his office to benefit associates, a case that drew national attention and left Springfield grappling with how such authority went unchecked for so long.

Long's second book could prompt renewed discussion in Morgan County and surrounding communities about the reforms that followed, and those still pending. Local libraries, bookstores, and civic organizations represent natural venues for author events and public forums on what the Madigan prosecution revealed about how power operates in Illinois government.