Mike Madigan may be under more legal pressure than at any time in his career, with federal agents having talked to any number of associates and colleagues about what he’s up to. But they don’t call the Illinois House speaker “powerful” for nothing—pesky federales notwithstanding.

Which leads to a story about how, thanks to a hidden earmark within an earmark, Madigan’s home ward, the 13th on the Southwest Side, is receiving a special $10 million appropriation for street resurfacing, new streetlights and other improvements—a gift far larger than most and maybe all of the city’s other 49 wards are receiving.

The money was tucked into Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s huge new $45 billion capital program, the one that passed the Legislature last year with Madigan’s help. And though neither state officials nor especially Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration seem thrilled about it, both are going along with the move.

Here are the details behind this tale of clout at work.

Traditionally, when the General Assembly approves a major capital plan, lawmakers designate a certain amount of spending for their districts. The process of inserting legislative earmarks has been banned in Congress—some would like to bring it back—but continues here in full flower because it helps convince lawmakers to vote for tax hikes needed to pay for the spending.

This year, members of Madigan’s House Democratic caucus tell me, each was asked to submit a list of up to $3 million in local projects they wanted to fund. Some of those earmarks were included in the capital appropriation bill itself, with others to be fleshed out later.

According to the Chicago Department of Transportation, the bill included tens of millions of dollars for dozens of specific local projects in at least 27 wards, as per those earmarks. Included are things such as $150,000 for repairs of the North Lake Shore Drive viaduct at Lawrence, benefiting the 46th and 48th wards; $407,000 for “general infrastructure in the 4th Ward; and $50,000 for streetlighting in the 13th Ward.

But also included in the bill was $50 million in undesignated funds targeted for the city under the designation SOCC, or “State Only City of Chicago” money.

The $50 million originally was supposed to be only $40 million, according to an Oct. 10 letter from acting Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman to then-city Transportation Commissioner Tom Carney that an anonymous source passed on to me. But somehow that total got bumped up by $10 million.

What to do with that $10 million windfall? The letter, which you can see for yourself below, makes it clear: “This correspondence confirms the understanding between IDOT and the city that this additional ten million dollars of SOCC funds is designated for use in the 22nd Legislative District, located in southwest Chicago.”

Did I mention that Madigan is the elected representative of the 22nd Legislative District?

Anyhow, state and city spokesmen confirm a deal exists, and that the money is going to the 13th Ward, which lies within the 22nd Legislative District.

“The SOCC is a long-standing practice by the General Assembly to appropriate funding from the state’s Road Fund, specifically for transportation improvements in Chicago,” IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell told me in an email. “As can be the case with some funding, the legislative intent is not always clear. In this particular instance, the department worked to clarify the intent of the additional SOCC funds with the leadership of the General Assembly and communicated that intent with the city.”

In other words, they asked Madigan. That’s easy.

The city did much the same thing. According to CDOT spokesman Mike Claffey, after receiving the October letter, CDOT went to 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and asked him what to do with the funds. The now apparently final list: $5.366 million for lighting, $2.1 million for street resurfacing, and $1.7 million for sidewalks. Smaller amounts are being spent on speed indicator signs and diagonal parking.

Doesn’t that plan run somewhat contrary to Lightfoot’s vow to spread city resources equitably around the city? After all, giving an extra $10 million to every other ward would require an extra $490 million in SOCC funds.

"The state’s new capital bill will provide much needed support” for city infrastructure, her office replied in a statement. “It’s important to the mayor that state and federal infrastructure dollars flow in a way that addresses the needs of all our communities, and particularly in order to enhance residents’ access to transportation where that access has historically lacked.”

In other words, Madigan’s the speaker, and until he isn’t, we’re going to have to deal with him.

Madigan's spokesman had no immediate comment and said he would look into the matter. Quinn, Madigan's alderman, did not return a phone call.

However, one Democratic House member literally sighed when I told him this tale. “The speaker always finds a way to get a bigger piece of the pie than schmucks like me,” the member said.

“I’m not surprised,” said another. “He always does OK.”

Yes, he does. Which may explain why Madigan, despite it all, keeps getting routinely re-elected in his district, where the roads are paved with gold—almost. But do keep that in mind next time you hit a pothole in a ward not named the 13th.