After the press of a door and the wave of a hand comes the hushed voice of then-Illinois Home Speaker Michael J. Madigan as he scolds then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis for floating the concept of a “quid professional quo.”
Jurors noticed the scene from the 2017 FBI video recording another time Monday as Madigan confronted off with Assistant U.S. Lawyer Amarjeet Bhachu, the lead prosecutor who pressed Madigan to clarify why he stored assembly with Solis whereas the Metropolis Council member repeatedly tied personal acquire to official motion.
“The tone of your voice is kind of low, right?” Bhachu requested in regards to the encounter.
Madigan stated he didn’t assume so.
“You closed the door as effectively?” Bhachu continued.
“As a result of I needed to have a face-to-face assembly with Mr. Solis,” Madigan defined.
Then Bhachu insisted that Madigan had misled Solis that day in 2017 by suggesting plans to construct an condominium advanced within the West Loop could be in bother if the builders didn’t rent Madigan’s legislation agency.
And Madigan merely began laughing on the witness stand.
“Is there one thing humorous about my query, sir?” Bhachu insisted.
The extremely anticipated confrontation between Bhachu and Madigan drew a capability crowd to U.S. District Decide John Blakey’s Twelfth-floor courtroom on the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. Bhachu, sitting on a decade’s value of proof gathered in opposition to the once-powerful Southwest Facet Democrat, spent about two and a half hours difficult Madigan.
However it solely took minutes for Bhachu to play a recording that’s been allowed into Madigan’s trial solely due to the testimony Madigan gave final week. In it, Madigan will be heard laughing as he informed his ally, Michael McClain, that sure ComEd contractors had “made out like bandits.”
“That’s you laughing there, isn’t it, sir?” Bhachu requested.
“Sure,” Madigan acknowledged.
No less than one juror could possibly be seen smiling when the comment aired within the courtroom.
Nonetheless, probably the most damaging a part of Madigan’s testimony might have come close to the tip of the day, after Bhachu requested about Madigan’s “low” tone of voice within the assembly with Solis. Jurors first noticed the video recording in November, however Bhachu performed it for them once more with the 82-year-old Madigan on the stand — visibly older and grayer than he was in his change with Solis greater than seven years earlier.
Solis secretly recorded the assembly after agreeing to work undercover for the FBI in a bid to keep away from jail for his personal alleged wrongdoing. Madigan will be seen waving his hand earlier than his face seems within the left aspect of the body, as he lectures Solis about having used the phrases “quid professional quo” in a earlier chat.
“You shouldn’t be speaking like that,” Madigan informed Solis on July 18, 2017. “You’re simply recommending our legislation agency. … As a result of if, in the event that they don’t get an excellent outcome on the true property taxes, the entire undertaking could be in bother.”
Madigan testified final week that he thought he’d despatched a message to Solis, in that second, that he wouldn’t be a part of a “quid professional quo.” However Bhachu on Monday went on to quote at the very least 5 different examples of Solis suggesting such an association.
Ultimately, Solis requested for Madigan’s assist in 2018 touchdown a paid seat on a authorities board as a part of an FBI ruse.
“Regardless of all these statements, you had been ready to truly suggest him for a board place, proper?” Bhachu requested Monday.
“I used to be ready to entertain the chance,” Madigan informed the prosecutor.
‘Simply reply the query’
Madigan wore a grey swimsuit and a purple tie as he sparred with Bhachu throughout his third day on the witness stand in his racketeering conspiracy trial. Madigan is accused of main a prison enterprise designed to reinforce his political energy and reward his supporters. His longtime ally McClain can be on trial and accused of appearing as Madigan’s agent.
Bhachu’s cross-examination of Madigan is predicted to proceed Tuesday. However the prosecutor informed protection attorneys they need to anticipate to name extra witnesses Tuesday if they’ve them — that means Madigan’s testimony could possibly be almost finished.
Blakey additionally signaled to jurors that each one sides may end presenting proof by the tip of this week, after roughly three months of trial. Closing arguments may start as quickly as Jan. 22.
The questioning Monday turned testy at occasions. Madigan typically requested Bhachu to repeat his questions, and the prosecutor typically needed to insist that Madigan reply his yes-or-no inquiries.
When Madigan answered one query about lobbying by telling Bhachu, “I feel you actually should outline lobbying,” even the choose intervened.
“Simply reply the query that’s posed to you, sir,” Blakey informed Madigan.
A few of Bhachu’s questions appeared to amuse Madigan, together with when Bhachu pointed to Madigan’s work at his legislation agency and questioned Madigan’s dedication to his public workplace.
“So once you had been on the legislation agency…had been you working as Speaker then?” Bhachu requested
“No, I used to be not,” Madigan stated.
“So that you weren’t working full-time,” Bhachu stated.
Madigan laughed and replied, “Um, we are able to outline full-time. However I gave seven days every week.”
‘ that’s not allowed’
The politician additionally chuckled when Bhachu requested whether or not former Ald. Frank Olivo’s youngsters had referred to him as “Uncle Mike” and whether or not ex-Ald. Mike Zalewski had supported his political campaigns.
“I’m about to say I presume that he did,” Madigan stated.
“And you already know that’s not allowed,” Bhachu stated, reminding him that witnesses aren’t permitted to presume.
Madigan solely laughed.
Olivo and Ray Good — Madigan’s former precinct captain — got here up early in Bhachu’s cross-examination of Madigan as a result of Madigan had testified final week that he was “very offended” to be taught they’d allegedly finished no work whereas being paid hundreds of {dollars} by ComEd.
Prosecutors say the cash was meant to make Madigan look favorably at ComEd’s laws.
“It’s your testimony in the present day, is it, that you simply had no concept that your longtime buddy and political ally — whose son calls you ‘uncle’ — was getting paid eight years straight for doing little to no work for ComEd?” Bhachu requested, referring to Olivo.
“That’s my testimony,” Madigan stated.
Bhachu additionally tried to undermine Madigan’s efforts to distance himself from McClain. Alongside the way in which, Madigan downplayed the friendship that has turn into infamous amid the feds’ prosecution of the 2 males.
Bhachu pointed to a number of examples of Madigan counting on McClain’s counsel. They included Madigan searching for out a nationally identified messaging guru amid a #MeToo disaster in Springfield, telling a veteran lawmaker he needed to resign, and serving to the son of ex-U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush discover work 10 years after being fired for sexual misconduct.
The prosecutor additionally pointed to a infamous letter written by McClain, through which McClain pledged his loyalty to Madigan and wrote, “I’m on the bridge with my musket standing with and for the Madigan household.”
“You knew Mr. McClain was very loyal to you, didn’t you?” Bhachu requested.
“Sure, I did,” Madigan answered.
“Have been you very loyal to Mr. McClain?” Bhachu requested.
“I don’t assume I used to be as loyal to him as he was to me,” Madigan answered.
