The U.S. government’s cross-examination of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is expected to start Monday afternoon at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago.
“Long list of things to do this morning,” Judge John Robert Blakey said Monday.
Madigan, codefendant Michael McClain, defense attorneys and prosecutors met with the judge in court Monday morning.
Madigan attorney Dan Collins asked Blakey for a ruling on the admissibility of former Chicago alderman and cooperating witness Daniel Solis’ tax returns.
Government attorney Amar Bhachu asked the judge to discuss scheduling. Bhachu estimated that he would finish cross-examining Madigan on Tuesday.
Madigan attorney Dan Collins said Madigan’s defense team planned to call at least two more witnesses: Madigan’s former law partner Vincent “Bud” Getzendanner and Madigan’s former legal counsel, Heather Wier Vaught.
McClain defense attorney Patrick Cotter said he did not plan to call any additional witnesses on behalf of McClain.
Blakey suggested that he would finish jury instructions next weekend and lawyers would have a charge conference next Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 21. Closing arguments would be Wednesday through Friday, Jan. 22-24. but could extend to Monday, Jan. 27.
Bhachu asked the judge to consider Illinois’ Gift Ban Act as it relates to Count 1 of the indictment against Madigan and McClain.
“We’ve got to prove a bunch of different things,” Bhachu said.
Blakey told Bhachu, “It’s not a gift ban theory,” on that count.
“If there’s a gift ban ther e… he [Madigan] knows these types of things are not permitted,” Bhachu argued.
Madigan and McClain have pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct.
Prosecutors allege that ComEd and AT&T Illinois gave out no-work or little-work jobs and contract work to those loyal to Madigan to get legislation passed that would benefit them in Springfield. Four ComEd executives and lobbyists were convicted last year in a related trial, and ComEd itself agreed to pay $200 million in fines as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors.
Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021. He was speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021. Madigan also chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois from 1998 to 2021.
McClain was a longtime lobbyist who previously served as a state representative in Illinois’ 48th district from 1973 to 1982.
