WBEZ interviews Mike McClain
Thursday, Jan 9, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dan Mihalopoulos and Dave McKinney at WBEZ tracked down Mike McClain today…
In his first public comments since FBI agents raided his home last May, the former Springfield lobbyist and close confidant of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan said he would consult with his lawyer before deciding whether he could explain what he was referring to in the cryptic, 2012 email.
“I prefer not to comment right now, but thank you,” McClain told WBEZ reporters who approached him as he was leaving the swanky Chicago Cut Steakhouse in downtown Chicago after he had lunch there.
Apparently, “lay low until the heat blows off” is not an option he considered.
* More…
McClain told WBEZ Thursday that federal investigators had asked him to cooperate with their ongoing corruption probe into utility giant Commonwealth Edison. McClain, who represented the utility as a lobbyist, has emerged as a central figure in the scandal, but he intimated that he would not cooperate.
McClain repeatedly smiled and said he had been asked by federal investigators to cooperate. But when WBEZ asked if it would be hard to betray someone like his longtime friend Madigan, McClain paused and then said, “It would be hard to betray myself.”
* Video…
Notice the smile when he said the feds asked him to cooperate? I’ve seen him smile like that before. It’s not the smile of a cooperator.
* Also from the story…
A state Democratic source told WBEZ on Thursday that Madigan has not spoken with McClain since May 1.
I think that might be off by a couple of weeks.
- A Guy - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:07 pm:
That smile belies someone different than “Mikey the Mouth”
- Steve - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:15 pm:
That was a nice non-denial denial by Mike McClain.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:17 pm:
===…he was leaving the swanky Chicago Cut Steakhouse in downtown Chicago after he had lunch there.===
Unless he was eating alone or with his defense attorneys, the only person in Illinois with less political sense than him is whoever was dining with him.
Kind of makes you wonder how he ever got to be Madigan’s consigliere. I mean, c’mon, the one time in your career that living in Quincy was a professional advantage and you stroll into Chicago Cut at the height of your own scandal?
Breathtaking.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:19 pm:
The video is *something*… it’s more… Frankie Five Angels… than Henry Hill.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:19 pm:
===is whoever was dining with him===
Family.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:21 pm:
===Family===
OK, but still. McKinney’s phone was probably blowing up before the McClain party was even seated.
- Nova - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:22 pm:
Maybe he thought he would be harder to track down in Chicago versus Quincy?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:23 pm:
===McKinney’s phone was probably blowing up before===
I’m sure. That’s like trying to hide out at Boone’s during session.
- Loyale with cheese - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:35 pm:
“I’ve seen him smile like that before. It’s not the smile of a cooperator.”
Plenty of folks would never dream of cooperating until the Feds really go to work on them (and their loved ones if possible …)
- Randomly Selected - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:36 pm:
Meh. A big nothing burger here. There’s no war, no need to hide out or hit the mattresses. The die has been cast. All MM can do now is wait.
- Pundent - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:44 pm:
=that would be an act of betrayal=
Depending on how things unfold it might also be an act of contempt. And if you’ve done nothing wrong then there’s no one to betray.
- SSL - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:45 pm:
Perhaps the Feds have mellowed, but I don’t remember them being kind to those that don’t cooperate. Maybe someone can flip on McClain. There’s not much to like about him.
- JB13 - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:51 pm:
Now what would give someone that kind of hubris, we wonder?
It’s a mystery.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 4:55 pm:
As my mother used to say you Are judged By The company You Keep.
- Nick Name - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 5:07 pm:
“an act of betrayal”
What the actual… ?
- Boomerang - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 5:18 pm:
=== that would be an act of betrayal ===
He actually says he would never “betray myself”. Meaning he would never implicate himself. I.E. plead the fifth. So there better be something real compelling to make him not plead the fifth - or to give him immunity.
- SOIL M - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 5:42 pm:
A state Democratic source told WBEZ on Thursday that Madigan has not spoken with McClain since May 1.
And then added- As far as you know. And will not speak to him again, unless it is in a sauna in an undisclosed location, that his crew can check out for at least an hour before McClain arrives, escorted by a person of the Speakers choosing.
- DIstant watcher - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 6:26 pm:
“if you’ve done nothing wrong there’s no one to betray.”
True. There’s a prior question on McKinney’s line of inquiry. Lotta people making a leap .
Not saying that MJM can’t stand the heat. But if there’s no fire, there’ll be a lot of embarrassed people on this blog.
- Sonny - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 6:44 pm:
What a smug, manipulative toad. A shrink would have a field day with that clip.
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 6:51 pm:
Watching the video, I don’t doubt for a minute that he’d write the emails he wrote. How he got Into the Speaker’s inner circle with this clear lack of judgment makes no sense.
- A - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 7:55 pm:
One player in the Prisoners Dilemma has made his position known. Wouldn’t be surprised McClain didn’t seek out that situation. Genius really
- low level - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 8:04 pm:
The smug smile is something else.
“It would be hard to betray myself.” Indeed. He’s confirming he and Madigan are like brothers w that statement. To betray Madigan is to betray himself and vice versa.
- Probably - Thursday, Jan 9, 20 @ 9:15 pm:
What is the alleged ComEd crime? I think the Quinn administration cover up email is clearly criminal, but I don’t understand the Comed allegations
- Lynn S. - Friday, Jan 10, 20 @ 8:48 am:
@Probably
Go back into the blog archives, to about mid-November. A ghost payroll allegedly being run, using the money of Commenwealth Edison, a public corporation in the regulated utility business.
Just think of how many people from Enron who went to jail.