Then-powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan was intently concerned within the strategy of recommending individuals to sit down on state boards and commissions and stored a working listing that finally totaled 91 names after J.B. Pritzker received election for governor in 2018, Madigan’s former chief of employees testified Wednesday.
Madigan allegedly had his employees keep watch over which seats had been changing into obtainable and usually make suggestions on who ought to fill them, Jessica Basham, who left the speaker’s workplace in 2021 and is now a lobbyist, advised jurors on the corruption of his former boss proves.
Prosecutors allege Madigan deliberate to suggest then-Ald. Daniel Solis to a profitable board seat in trade for Solis’ assist in acquiring enterprise for Madigan’s non-public legislation agency. Unbeknownst to Madigan, Solis was sporting a wire for the FBI and his request for a advice was a part of an FBI ruse.
Madigan, 82, of Chicago, who served for many years as speaker of the Illinois House earlier than resigning in 2021, faces a variety of racketeering costs that allege he used his important political and governmental energy to hold out a collection of corruption plans.
He is charged together with Michael McClain, 77, a former ComEd contract lobbyist from southern Quincy state who for years was considered one of Madigan’s closest confidants. Both males have pleaded not responsible and denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors on Wednesday confirmed inner memos about state boards and commissions, in addition to lists of suggestions from Madigan to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat who took workplace in 2019. Solis was not on the lists, doubtless as a result of in January 2019, his cooperation with the federal investigators had change into public data.
But jurors have already seen undercover movies through which Solis requested Madigan for assist getting on a state board that paid at the very least $100,000, together with the Labor Relations Board or the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Prosecutors additionally offered proof that Madigan despatched Solis details about state boards and commissions in response.
The indictment in opposition to Madigan alleges that he met with Pritzker in December 2018 and talked about Solis as a candidate for counsel. Prosecutors mentioned Wednesday they plan to name U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Springfield), who is predicted to testify about that assembly, to the stand. Budzinski was a key aide to Pritzker earlier than taking a seat in Congress.
Among the names on Madigan’s advice listing had been Madigan’s spouse, Shirley, who served on the Illinois Arts Council, and Carrie Zalewski, the spouse of state Rep. Michael Zalewski, who was appointed to go Illinois Commerce Commission, which determines the charges that may be charged by utilities reminiscent of Commonwealth Edison.
Madigan and McClain are accused of persuading utility large ComEd to rent Zalewski’s father, former Ald. Michael Zalewski Sr., as an out-of-work subcontractor, which prosecutors allege ComEd did to affect Madigan’s assist for utility-friendly laws.
Also on Madigan’s listing was Carol Sente, a former Democratic state consultant who had been beneficial for a “DCEO (non-director) place.”
Sente testified for the prosecution earlier in Madigan’s trial concerning the workings of the General Assembly and the facility Madigan wielded there.
During cross-examination, Basham was proven notes taken in 2019 that tracked which of Madigan’s 91 suggestions for state boards and different positions within the Pritzker administration had been profitable. According to Basham’s notes, solely about 47 % of the individuals Madigan beneficial had been really appointed to state boards.
Defense attorneys additionally took the chance to bolster Madigan’s picture for jurors, getting testimony from Basham about his work ethic and values.
“I do not assume anybody works tougher than Mike Madigan,” he mentioned.
The trial, which started on October 8, may finish extra shortly than anticipated. Prosecutors mentioned Wednesday they plan to wrap up their case in chief subsequent week, though attorneys mentioned the potential of last-minute scheduling modifications that would alter that estimate.
Solis, in the meantime, left the stand Tuesday after prolonged testimony about his undercover recordings.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com
