* US Rep. Mike Bost was recently on Will Stephens’ radio show and was asked, “Even with all of these folks wired up and wandering around the Capitol Building, is Mike Madigan insulated enough that he’s going to remain unscathed?” Bost’s response…
That’s a good question. Believe me, Mike Madigan is, if anybody could remain unscathed, it will be Mike Madigan. Because he’s an expert of the Illinois Constitution and an expert of the Illinois law because he wrote most of it. He also knows where the line is going up to the edge of the cliff. And he might not, and he won’t step over the line on the edge of the cliff. He might grab someone else and throw them over to get his [garbled] done. But he won’t do that.
This part is nonsense, however…
Now, let me tell you that there is a precedent, though, that quite often that someone who didn’t do something can still be charged on the fact that they were, there is a presumption that they knew. The best example of that was a guy by the name of George Ryan. They never got George Ryan for doing anything himself.
Yes, they did…
The investigation finally reached the former governor, and in December 2003, Ryan and lobbyist Lawrence Warner were named in a 22-count federal indictment. The charges included racketeering, bribery, extortion, money laundering and tax fraud. The indictment alleged that Ryan steered several state contracts to Warner and other friends; disbursed campaign funds to relatives and to pay personal expenses; and obstructed justice by attempting to end the state investigation of the license-for-bribes scandal. He was charged with lying to investigators and accepting cash, gifts and loans in return for his official actions as governor. On September 19, 2005, the case went to trial. […]
On April 17, 2006, the jury found Ryan and Warner guilty on all counts. However, when ruling on post-trial motions, the judge dismissed two counts against Ryan for lack of proof.
Also, the judge dismissed one of those counts because, she said, prosecutors had failed to prove that Ryan knew of a particular fraud when he steered a lease to his pal Warner.
- Roman - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 12:59 pm:
== Because he’s an expert of the Illinois Constitution and an expert of the Illinois law because he wrote most of it. ==
That doesn’t matter. The investigation is on the federal level applying federal law, not state law.
- low level - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:07 pm:
== The investigation is on the federal level applying federal law==
That doesn’t matter, either. The principle of what Bost said still applies.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:12 pm:
===Mike Madigan is, if anybody could remain unscathed, it will be Mike Madigan. Because he’s an expert of the Illinois Constitution and an expert of the Illinois law because he wrote most of it. He also knows where the line is going up to the edge of the cliff. And he might not, and he won’t step over the line on the edge of the cliff.===
This is honesty to thought, Bost’s candor here is even a staunch critic, in both roles (in the Illinois House and later the politics of today) realizes why the Feds gave ComEd a $200+ million break on fines… and asked for help of others …
Madigan knows enough of the law not to break it, but that doesn’t mean questions aren’t real issues, even if legal recourses seem less likely.
- low level - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:25 pm:
OW, you know, what gets me is MJM’s staff, for the most part, was extremely discreet as well. So then remember the revelation that Anne Pramaggoire and other ComEd officials were being included in staff emails? Very uncharacteristic.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:30 pm:
BossToss probably meant Ryan give the CDL to guy that killed the kids.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:34 pm:
=== the revelation that Anne Pramaggoire and other ComEd officials were being included in staff emails? Very uncharacteristic.===
Agreed.
To that specifically, I speculate the Feds are looking to *direct* involvement by MJM that a word or emails could produce, but “buffers” are seemingly still there, emails and wire recordings too?
McClain still *could be* one to say “MJM told me… “ but then it’s “can you show that agreement directly”… or if McClain, as one example only, would flip with actual hard evidence?
The mere idea of emails by any in MJM’s circle, McClain included, with a callous flow of unintended items, yeah, that’s bizarre to the image I know I have of that Crew and secrecy.
- phenom_Anon - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:45 pm:
=Madigan knows enough of the law not to break it, but that doesn’t mean questions aren’t real issues, even if legal recourses seem less likely. =
It may depend on whether the buffers crossed the lines. If they want to take down Himself, it will require RICO. If they can establish an enterprise, which seems like the easy part, it makes it much easier to go after the head. I think just what was in the ComEd disclosure covers mail and wire fraud. Now you have two predicates in ten years, and you have to prove Madigan’s role in leadership of the enterprise. Actually making it all work will require the right person to flip. Since there’s been no criminal complaint yet, i think it’s safe to assume they haven’t had a knowledgeable enough person flip yet.
- Roman - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
@low level
I would agree that the “principle” applies to the part of Bost’s quote about Madigan knowing where the line is and how to avoid crossing it, but it’s not because Madigan “wrote” the law. He hasn’t written any federal laws. Now, if Kim Foxx brings a case to the grand jury at 26th Street instead of John Lausch at the federal building, that’s a different story.
- NotRich - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 2:33 pm:
I didn’t realize the blog had so many followers with Ivy League law degrees
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 2:34 pm:
===with Ivy League law degrees ===
Only the best! lol
- SSL - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 2:51 pm:
The ComEd people have no loyalty and will all flip. If that gives the Feds hard evidence against members of the inner circle, they can put serious pressure on those individuals. Whether it is enough to get one of them to flip, who knows. The thought of prison can make some people uneasy.
- Powdered Whig - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 3:03 pm:
It is not illegal to recommend people for jobs.
I do not believe that MJM would have made any recommendations (or had others make recommendations) knowing that the people getting recommended would do little to no work.
3. I do not believe that MJM would take favorable action on legislation simply because a company hired a some lobbyists or consultants that he recommended.
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 3:07 pm:
With all due respect to Rep. Bost, the most untouchable people were those operating the patronage system started under James R. Thompson. Madigan, like Richard J. Daley, spent most of his public career operating under US Attorneys picked by Republicans. Thompson’s machine operated under US Attorneys … quite often picked by James R. Thompson.
- Paul - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 3:14 pm:
The sad fact is the need of him to act that way to cover misbehavior (let’s call it because he seems to get close to that legal line). John Cullerton had a cellphone, he didn’t worry. Why? Because when you aren’t close to doing questionable things you don’t worry about those things. His behavior is an indication that he knew things he did were questionable at the least. It doesn’t matter if the Feds get hom, someone like that shouldn’t be in public office.
- Powdered Whig - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 3:25 pm:
=== The sad fact is the need of him to act that way to cover misbehavior (let’s call it because he seems to get close to that legal line). John Cullerton had a cellphone, he didn’t worry. Why? Because when you aren’t close to doing questionable things you don’t worry about those things. His behavior is an indication that he knew things he did were questionable at the least. It doesn’t matter if the Feds get hom, someone like that shouldn’t be in public office. ===
Lots of assumptions there. So because he doesn’t have a cell phone (or doesn’t have one that he shares with lobbyists or other Springfield types) he is a criminal? That is a goofy statement.
So the fact that the Speaker is thoughtful and knows where the lines are drawn is a bad thing? I think we have seen that people involved in these brazen schemes do not care where the line is.
- John Deere Green - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
==John Cullerton had a cellphone, he didn’t worry. Why? Because when you aren’t close to doing questionable things you don’t worry about those things. His behavior is an indication that he knew things he did were questionable at the least.==
You seem to have all the answers. If we follow your Cullerton phone logic, we can only conclude that Luis Arroyo and Derrick Smith didn’t have cell phones, either. It’s amusing: the presumption that because someone chooses not to use a cell phone, that must mean he’s doing “questionable things.” As if the feds couldn’t tap - or haven’t tapped - landlines.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 3:39 pm:
=== As if the feds couldn’t tap - or haven’t tapped - landlines===
That and they tapped other peoples’ mobile phones.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 4:04 pm:
- NotRich -
“Look”
I saw every episode of the new “Perry Mason”… like twice, *and* I’ve seen “A Few Good Men” about 250 times, “and it keeps getting funnier. Every. Time. I see it”
:)
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 4:18 pm:
Let’s give Mike the Benefit of the Doubt, maybe he was referring to Jim Edgar who wasn’t charged or convicted for the fact that his administration gave many millions of taxpayer dollars to an entity that donated a million dollars to his campaign.
Hard to keep the corrupt Governors straight.
- low level - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 4:49 pm:
The map was a lock. Illinois became more and more blue
In any given election, the only question became the size of the majority and not the majority itself.
Those conditions lead the traditionally conservative utility to come to the Dems. In light of all that, people got complacent. Thats my theory at least.
- TheUpperRoom - Thursday, Oct 15, 20 @ 4:57 pm:
I think people both underestimate and overestimate Madigan. Yes, he’s smart and powerful. He’s also 78. Not using email and text? He’s not alone. Put it like this; I don’t believe he risked his career so some former ward worker or state worker could get a nice job. If you think he should have known his underlings may have been wheeling and dealing with ComEd, that’s one thing. But I don’t see the nefarious plot some do. People’s thirst to get rid of Madigan have clouded their judgement. I can understand the ethical questions, but I just don’t see the big nefarious plot others do.