Ex-Madigan staffer, former ComEd exec testify at trial of 'ultimate decision maker'

[October 30, 2024]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – One of Michael Madigan’s former associates has taken the witness stand at the former Illinois House speaker’s corruption trial.

Will Cousineau testified Tuesday afternoon that Madigan was the “ultimate decision maker.”

Cousineau served as a longtime staffer for both Madigan and the Democratic Party of Illinois. He said that he served from around 2008 to 2016 as political director and issues director for the Illinois House Democratic Caucus and for the state Democratic Party. Cousineau was also a senior adviser to Madigan.

Cousineau is testifying with immunity at the Madigan trial as he did at the ComEd Four trial last year. Answering a question from prosecutor Julia Schwartz, Cousineau said he reported to Madigan’s chief of staff, Tim Mapes.

Mapes reported to federal prison in June of this year to begin serving a 30-month sentence for perjury. In August 2023, a federal jury convicted Mapes of perjury and obstruction of justice for lying to a grand jury investigating Madigan and others.

Prosecutors have alleged that ComEd and AT&T Illinois gave out jobs and contract work to those loyal to Madigan to get legislation passed that would benefit them in Springfield. Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain face 23 federal corruption-related counts and have pleaded not guilty.

Before prosecutors called Cousineau to testify Tuesday afternoon, former ComEd general counsel and Senior Vice President Tom O’Neill spent nearly two full court days in the witness box.

On Tuesday morning, O’Neill testified that Madigan recommended Juan Ochoa for a position on ComEd’s board of directors in 2017. At the time, Ochoa was CEO of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, also known as McPier.

McPier owns Chicago’s Navy Pier, McCormick Place and the McCormick Square campus, which includes Wintrust Arena. McPier was created by the Illinois General Assembly.

O’Neill said he expressed reservations about Ochoa to then-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, who favored Ochoa.

Pramaggiore, Madigan's co-defendant Michael McClain and two others were convicted of bribery and racketeering in the ComEd Four case last year. During that trial, Ochoa testified that he regularly received updates from Madigan about his status.

Ochoa was appointed to ComEd’s board in 2019.

During cross-examination by McClain defense attorney Patrick Cotter, O’Neill said the relationship between ComEd and Madigan improved during the time McClain worked as a ComEd lobbyist.

O’Neill agreed with Cotter’s statement that ComEd had “good access” to Madigan and that McClain was instrumental in setting up meetings with Madigan.

Earlier, O’Neill testified that he and several others at ComEd referred to McClain as a double agent or triple agent, meaning that he had more than one client and it wasn’t always clear which agent he was working for.

Prosecutors introduced a number of emails as evidence, including communication between McClain and O’Neill and communication among various ComEd executives.

Prosecutors also asked O’Neill about ComEd’s dealings with consulting firm Reyes Kurson. O’Neill said ComEd had not been seeking regulatory consulting work at the time ComEd agreed to a contract with Reyes Kurson.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (left) enters the federal court building in Chicago Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. - Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

O’Neill said he was aware that Reyes Kurson partner Victor Reyes had a long-standing relationship with Madigan. O’Neill said the relationship went back to the 1970’s.

Prosecutors displayed an email from McClain in which McClain urged Pramaggiore not to cut the firm’s hours unless she wanted to hear from Madigan. In the email, McClain warned, “Our friend will call me and I will call you.”

O’Neill repeated his Monday testimony that he felt the need to make the Reyes Kurson contract work.

At the end of O’Neill’s final cross-examination, Judge John Robert Blakey firmly sustained the prosecution’s objection to a statement by McClain defense attorney Patrick Cotter. Blakey called for an immediate sidebar. After prosecutors and Madigan defense attorneys said they had nothing further, the judge told O’Neill he could step down. O’Neill left the box at about 4:05 p.m. Tuesday.

The last witness before O’Neill was state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island. Rita took the stand for ten minutes late Thursday afternoon, but he did not return Monday or Tuesday.

In a recording dated March 15, 2019, Madigan and McClain discussed a request that Madigan sign a letter, which Madigan said he did not plan to sign.

“I’m pretty much out of the business of putting my name on things,” Madigan told McClain.

FBI Special Agent Ryan McDonald testified last Thursday that the FBI had about 20,000 recordings from McClain’s phone.

Prosecutors also played a recording of a conversation between McClain and state Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, from Nov. 30, 2018. Harris served in the statehouse from 2007 to 2023.

Madigan had suggested to McClain that Harris could be the next Illinois House Majority Leader, replacing Barbara Flynn Currie.

“I mean, me personally, I think you’re clearly on the inside track, but I do think you have to look him eyeball to eyeball and ask for it,” McClain told Harris.

“I did not want to, I didn’t want to do that til everything else this week happened,” Harris said.

“No, I think that was prudent,” McClain replied.

Harris became House Majority Leader a short time later in 2019 and served in that role until 2022.

Madigan was a state representative from 1971 to 2021. He chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois for 23 years.

Republican Cook County Clerk candidate Michelle Pennington said the Democrats are responsible for what happened during Madigan’s tenure.

“Unfortunately, corruption is the only word for it. And unfortunately, there is only one party to blame. The responsibility rests solely on the Democratic Party. They have been in charge for years,” Pennington said.

United States of America v. Madigan et al is scheduled to resume Wednesday at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.

Greg Bishop and Brett Rowland contributed to this story.