Feds detail Madigan’s ‘criminal enterprise,’ alleging corporations
handing out bribes to cronies
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[July 13, 2023]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Motions continue back and forth between former
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s attorneys and federal
prosecutors alleging Madigan ran a criminal enterprise from through the
Illinois Statehouse.
In the summer of 2020, federal prosecutors revealed a deferred
prosecution agreement between utility ComEd and the government that had
the utility agree to pay $200 million for bribing “Public Official A.”
It was later revealed through indictments the official was Madigan.
Since then, Madigan has been charged with 22 counts of corruption in the
ComEd case and an additional count in a case involving AT&T’s former
president. Earlier this year, four individuals, including Michael
McClain, a close Madigan confidant and codefendant, were found guilty in
the scheme.
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Madigan’s former Chief of Staff Tim Mapes faces a trial next month.
Madigan and McClain face charges next spring. All have pleaded not
guilty.
Last month, Madigan made a motion to dismiss some of the counts. Monday,
his attorneys asked for an amended bill of particulars.
“Madigan respectfully requests that the Court grant this Motion for
Leave to permit him to amend his previously filed Motion for Bill of
Particulars … to seek a bill of particulars that also requires the
government to set forth the theory of liability―bribe or gratuity―it
plans to advance at trial as to each alleged ‘thing of value’ he
illegally received,” the motion said.
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On Tuesday, prosecutors urged the court to ignore that motion.
“Defendant Michael Madigan was the leader of a corrupt criminal
enterprise, the tentacles of which extended from the Office of the
Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in Springfield, to the
Thirteenth Ward Democratic Organization on the south side of Chicago,”
prosecutors said. “For approximately eight years, through the operation
of this criminal enterprise, Madigan exploited his position as a
high-ranking public official to manipulate the levers of State and local
government for the purpose of illegally enriching himself and his
associates.”
Prosecutors allege Madigan and McClain “arranged for a flood of corrupt
payments and perks to be doled out to Madigan and his associates in
exchange and as a reward for Madigan’s abuse of his official powers.
Major corporations handed out more than one million dollars in bribes to
Madigan’s cronies to secure Madigan’s assistance and favor with respect
to the passage of legislation worth hundreds of millions to the
companies.”
They also allege “Madigan was sure to line his own pockets” by taking
official action at the Illinois Statehouse “in exchange for legal work
being steered to his private law firm.”
Madigan’s pretrial motions “and others that have been filed are totally
baseless,” prosecutors said. “For the reasons described in greater
detail below, each and every one of these motions should be denied and
the matter should proceed to trial as scheduled.”
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