Jury deliberations continue at ex-speaker’s corruption trial

[February 05, 2025]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – The jury has completed a third full day of deliberations at the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

The longtime speaker and Democratic Party of Illinois chairman was indicted on March 2nd, 2022. He’s accused of using his official position as speaker to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.

Madigan has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct. Codefendant Michael McClain is charged with six corruption-related counts and has also pleaded not guilty.

Judge John Robert Blakey advised attorneys Monday afternoon that he had received jury note #27 of the trial, which began with jury selection Oct. 8, 2024. Jury deliberations started last Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 29.

Blakey said the note asked about a conversation involving McClain and former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore prior to May 2, 2018, which involved an alternative position, instead of a seat on ComEd’s board of directors, for former Metropolitan Planning and Exposition Authority CEO Juan Ochoa.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amar Bhachu said the conversation might have been one between Madigan and McClain. After conferring with lawyers for the two defendants, Bhachu suggested to Blakey that the jurors should rely on their collective recollection and the evidence presented in the case.

Blakey said he would advise jurors that they had all of the evidence presented and that they should rely on their independent and collective recollection.

Counts 2-7 of the indictment are charges against Madigan alone related to ComEd. Count 3 alleges bribery in connection with a ComEd board seat. Counts 5 and 7 allege use of a facility to promote unlawful activity.

South Side Republican Chairman Devin Jones said the system is broken in the Land of Lincoln.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, enters the federal court building in Chicago for his corruption trial on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 - By Brett Rowland | The Center Square

“Government in Illinois is not working for anybody, not for the farmers and the people who are in downstate and rural Illinois, not for the people who live in the suburbs. I’m a person who lives in the city, and it’s just not working for us,” Jones told The Center Square.

Jones said it’s time to clean out corrupt officials.

“It’s disgusting. It’s despicable. I could use some Biblical words, but I won’t. It’s sad,” Jones said.

Prosecutors allege that ComEd and AT&T Illinois gave out no-work or little-work jobs and contract work to Madigan allies to get legislation passed that would benefit them in Springfield.

In 2023, McClain, Pramaggiore and two others were convicted in the related ComEd Four trial, and ComEd agreed to pay $200 million in fines as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors.

AT&T Illinois agreed to pay $23 million as part of a deferred prosecution agreement in 2022.

Madigan and McClain are also accused of using Madigan’s public office to illegally steer business to his private law firm.

Madigan, D-Chicago, served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021 and was speaker for all but two years between 1983 and 2021. He chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois for 23 years. Madigan also led the 13th Ward Democratic Organization and served as 13th Ward committeeman.

McClain, D-Quincy, became a lobbyist after serving in the Illinois House from 1973 to 1982.

Jury deliberations are scheduled to resume Tuesday morning.