In surprising move, former longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has taken the stand at his own corruption trial. The trial of the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history has lasted three months with meticulous details on the Chicago Democrat’s many alleged schemes in both his public roles and private work as a tax attorney. That’s included hours of secretly-recorded videos and calls from a former city alderman turned FBI mole. But on Tuesday, Madigan, who is famously private and doesn’t own a cellphone or email address, got to control the narrative. He told stories about growing up in a tough household and living a life of public service.