Ex-Home Speaker Michael Madigan is ready to return to the stand Wednesday morning, persevering with testimony that can absolutely be a few of the most important and carefully examined of the bombshell public corruption trial.
The choice to testify could be extraordinarily dangerous, and few defendants, not to mention such high-profile ones, have opted to take the stand.
However Madigan, who for many years was the state’s strongest politician, appeared calm and assured from the second he started speaking to jurors Tuesday, repeatedly denying he ever exchanged any official actions for his personal non-public acquire.
The testimony was at instances intimate, with Madigan recalling his strict Southwest Aspect upbringing and his courtship together with his spouse, however most of it consisted of Madigan denying prosecutors’ accusations that he used his political and authorities operations for his personal profit. Madigan was merely keen to assist allies and constituents once they wanted job referrals, he testified, and had no understanding or association to look favorably on laws for corporations that employed his referrals.
Madigan’s attorneys stated Tuesday that the ex-speaker’s direct examination may wrap up by late Wednesday morning; it should possible be adopted by questioning from co-defendant Michael McClain’s legal professional.
Then Madigan will sit by means of what is certain to be an intensive grilling from prosecutors on cross-examination, which can stretch Madigan’s testimony into subsequent week.
The trial, which started Oct. 8 and was initially slated to finish earlier than Christmas, is inching towards a conclusion, with Madigan’s testimony absolutely including to estimates of when it’d finish.
U.S. District Choose John Robert Blakey on Tuesday informed jurors they’ll anticipate to be deliberating by the week of Jan. 27, although even that appears more and more unlikely.
Madigan, a Southwest Aspect Democrat, and McClain, 77, of downstate Quincy, are charged in a 23-count indictment alleging that Madigan’s vaunted state and political operations had been run like a prison enterprise to amass and enhance his energy and enrich himself and his associates.
Along with bribery schemes involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois, the indictment alleges Madigan pressured builders to rent the speaker’s regulation agency and tried to win enterprise by secretly supporting laws to switch state-owned land in Chinatown to the town so builders may construct a high-rise.
Each Madigan and McClain have denied wrongdoing.
Madigan legal professional Dan Collins’ questioning of his personal consumer on Tuesday rapidly turned to the centerpiece allegations involving ComEd. Through the prosecution’s case, jurors noticed floods of emails, undercover movies and wiretapped cellphone calls during which McClain and ComEd executives talk about hiring Madigan associates, together with precinct captains Edward Moody and Ray Good, former thirteenth Ward Ald. Frank Olivo, former twenty third Ward Ald. Michael Zalewski, and ex-state Rep. Edward Acevedo.
Former ComEd govt Fidel Marquez testified earlier within the trial that the hiring was finished in order that Madigan would look favorably upon ComEd’s laws.
However Madigan testified there had been no such deal. He stated he merely agreed to assist mates discover work and handed their data alongside to McClain, and expressed anger that a few of them, together with Olivo and Good, had apparently not lifted a finger.
Acevedo allegedly acquired an identical no-work deal from AT&T as a part of the telecom big’s scheme to win Madigan’s assist. However on Tuesday, Madigan stated he didn’t even know Acevedo was being paid by AT&T till this case was introduced.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com
rlong@chicagotribune.com
