By Hannah Meisel | Capitol News Illinois
Over the last 2 ½ months, the jury in former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial has heard the longtime Democratic leader’s voice dozens of times on wiretapped phone calls and in secretly recorded video footage.
Since October, jurors have seen the longtime powerbroker as he sat taking notes or otherwise watching testimony from nearly 60 witnesses from his seat at the head of his defense table in a wood-paneled federal courtroom.
But on Tuesday, the jury was finally able to fully observe Madigan – including the mannerisms and idiosyncratic speech patterns his attorney has accused the feds of willfully misinterpreting – as he took the stand in his own defense.
“Did you ever trade your public office for private gain?” Madigan attorney Dan Collins asked his client almost immediately after beginning his line of questioning early Tuesday afternoon.
“No,” Madigan said, turning to the jury as he gave his answer.
“Did you ever demand a thing of value in exchange for a promise to take official action?”
“No,” Madigan replied again before giving the same answer when asked if he’d ever accepted a “thing of value” in exchange for such a promise.
Collins repeated similar bursts of questions several more times before trial adjourned for the day, often pausing after the former speaker’s final denial, letting his “no” hang in the air before moving on to the next subject area.
Bribery charges
The repeated questions – and Madigan’s consistent answers – were aimed at refuting prosecutors’ main theory of bribery, which makes up nearly a third of the 23 counts Madigan faces. The indictment, first filed in March 2022 but expanded later that year, alleges Madigan helped electric utility Commonwealth Edison and telecom giant AT&T Illinois pass key legislation through Springfield in exchange for jobs and contracts for Madigan allies.
Additionally, prosecutors claim Madigan used his elected and political power to recruit clients for his property tax appeals law firm. The feds allege that Madigan – along with longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain, who was indicted on six of the 23 counts – formed a “criminal enterprise” meant to enhance Madigan’s power in addition to enriching himself and those close to him.
Government lawyers have portrayed Madigan as an all-powerful leader who controlled an entire branch of state government as well as the political careers of hundreds of Democrats during his 36 years as House speaker. Meanwhile, Madigan’s attorneys have attempted to undermine that portrayal in their cross-examinations of 50 government witnesses and their defense case that began shortly before the holidays.
Madigan’s decision to testify furthers that work, but it’s a risky move. When prosecutors get their turn to cross-examine the former speaker as early as Wednesday, they will likely attempt to impeach him on the stand after Madigan directly contradicted testimony from several witnesses who’ve testified thus far.
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