* Courthouse News…
Jessica Basham, onetime chief of staff to former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, took the stand Wednesday in Madigan’s ongoing federal corruption trial. Much of her testimony focused on lists of people Madigan’s office recommended for state board and commission positions to the then-nascent office of Democratic Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker between 2018 and 2019.
Basham testified she served as Madigan’s chief of staff between June 2018 and August 2021, following the departure of Madigan’s prior chief Tim Mapes — now convicted for perjury — amid sexual misconduct allegations. During that time, she said she communicated on multiple occasions with Pritzker’s staff regarding recommendations for state boards and commissions. Jurors also saw evidence that Madigan, through Basham, often requested updates on how Pritzker was leaning on the recommendations.
Among the Pritzker staffers that Basham kept in contact with regarding the state boards was Nikki Budzinski, previously one of the governor’s top advisors and now a U.S. representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District.
Local NPR news outlet WBEZ reported in June 2020 that Pritzker’s administration hired at least 35 of the then-speaker’s recommended personnel. Basham, per a document jurors saw Wednesday morning, found in 2020 that Madigan’s recommendations had a “47% success rate” — that the governor’s office acted on 43 of the 91 people Madigan’s office recommended.
* Tribune…
On further questioning from prosecutors, [ Basham] noted that a handful of those recommendations actually came through Madigan from other legislators, including Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the current House speaker.
Defense attorneys also took the chance to boost Madigan’s image for jurors, eliciting testimony from Basham about his work ethic and values.
“I don’t think anybody works harder than Mike Madigan,” she said.
Jurors also heard evidence Wednesday that from 2019 to 2021, Madigan’s son Andrew earned some $43,000 in commission related to the Resurrection Project, a client of the insurance agency that employed him.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Other evidence shown to Basham on Wednesday included handwritten notes Madigan and Basham took while they met with Pritzker on Dec. 4, 2018.
They discussed several major policy initiatives, according to the meeting notes. At the top of their agenda was a graduated income tax, which Pritzker had made a central campaign promise. Madigan helped push a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the tax change through the General Assembly in May 2019. To take effect, though, voters had to approve the amendment in November 2020.
Voters, however, rejected what Pritzker branded as the “Fair Tax” after opposition groups spent millions tying the idea to Madigan. By then, the speaker had been named “Public Official A” in charging documents in July 2020 alleging ex-lobbyists and executives of electric utility Commonwealth Edison bribed the speaker. One of those ex-lobbyists was McClain, who was indicted in the weeks following the November 2020 election and convicted along with his former colleagues last year.
The second item on the notes from the Madigan-Pritzker meeting was a hike in the state’s minimum wage, which Pritzker secured in February 2019, signing a bill gradually increasing minimum hourly pay to $15, which will take final effect on Jan. 1, 2025. It was the new governor’s first major policy win.
Other discussion items from the meeting – including legalizing recreational cannabis, green-lighting sports betting and authorizing a major infrastructure plan – were enacted during Pritzker’s first legislative session in spring 2019.
* Center Square…
Basham said there were times when state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, was somewhat inactive, and the speaker wanted Rita to be “more robust” in his discussions about gaming legislation.
Prosecutors played a recording of a conversation between Madigan and Basham on March 25, 2019.
“So, would you talk to Rita again and make sure that he understands that he should be an active participant in the discussion?” Madigan asked. […]
Madigan addressed the issue a second time during the same call.
“So, you see, if we just let Zalewski put on a sports betting show, well, then we’re gonna bring on another problem. All the pro-gaming people are gonna say, ‘What’s this all about?’ So, yeah, have a conversation with Rita and make sure he understands that he just can’t sit there like a bump on a log. OK?” Madigan asked.
* Sun-Times…
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s son made $43,000 in three years after his insurance company landed a Pilsen social service agency as a client, jurors were told Wednesday, in a deal federal prosecutors have linked to Madigan’s alleged racketeering conspiracy. […]
During a follow-up conversation about the board seat on Aug. 2, 2018, Solis promised the speaker “I’m gonna help you.” Michael Madigan replied, “don’t worry about it.”
But moments later, Michael Madigan told him, “there’s one thing you can do.” […]
“Just ask him, ‘Give Andrew something … Give him a chance to show what he, what he can do,’” Michael Madigan said. […]
On Wednesday, prosecutors called Alliant Insurance executive Jennifer Gavelek to the witness stand. She testified that she’d attended a meeting with her colleague, Andrew Madigan, and an executive with The Resurrection Project in October 2019.
- Ryder - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 10:42 am:
The former Speaker must be proud re his son Andrew….nothing like forging a career on your own. It’s tough out there.
- low level - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 10:53 am:
I feel for Rita. Ouch.
- Teve DeMotte - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 10:55 am:
Madigan place 47% of his people in various state jobs/boards etc…There were a lot of highly qualified people that went through the process of trying to attain a job, etc…and they had little to no chance to begin with because of Madigan. State, county, city, and suburban and township governments plus corporations and not-for-profits, Madigan’s tentacles were every where.
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:00 am:
I think anyone who worked in state government knows exactly what it meant when you were handed a Madigan referral. That was for decades.
- low level - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:09 am:
==and they had little to no chance to begin with because of Madigan==
You sound like everyone at any level of government had to go through 6500 S Pulaski. It certainly helped but the 47% figure suggests it wasn’t everything.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:13 am:
With all the staff and personal meetings it appears Madigan kept Pritzker on a pretty tight leash at the beginning inning of his term.
I do remember a note about the Chief of Staff sending Madigan’s co-defendant out the door. Have to say that reflected (to me) very positively on her, the Governor and was a plus for Illinois citizens that want to see this stuff stopped.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:18 am:
As Captain Renault might say, I’m shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House was making recommendations to the Governor regarding appointments to boards and commissions.
- Um, no - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:20 am:
Pritzker was in Avery different place with Madigan than most.
His personal wealth dwarfs Madigan’s fundraising ability. He didn’t have to bow to the Speaker and certainly not to Fredo McClain. He didn’t need their approval for anything.
Madigan had already missed most of the glaring signals that his Caucus looked little like what he was accustomed to and that his tenure was all but over.
- Donnie Elgin - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 11:23 am:
Crony influence peddling- this stuff makes the average joe so upset.
“Madigan’s office recommended… was Carrie Zalewski, wife of former Democratic Illinois state representative Michael J. Zalewski — not to be confused with his father Michaeal R. Zalewski, a former Chicago city councilor and longtime Madigan ally…Pritzker appointed Carrie Zalewski to the commerce commission, which helps regulate utilities in Illinois, in March 2019. She then chaired the commission between April 2019 and June 2023, when she stepped down months before her term was set to expire… less than a week before the start of the federal “ComEd Four” trial that also implicated Madigan and Michael R. Zalewski.”
- low level - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:21 pm:
==Crony influence peddling- this stuff makes the average joe so upset.==
As opposed to the MAGA cronies being hired through the Project 2025 site, yes?
- jolietj - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:23 pm:
Always interesting to have the curtain pulled back on the Illinois political class
- Beep booop - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 12:32 pm:
@ low level
Can two things be bad at once?
- Impresario Barnum - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 1:09 pm:
That does not acknowledge the reality that anyone the Speaker (or any other GA member for that matter) may have recommended to the Governor’s Office would first be vetted by the Governor’s Office, the Senate GOP, and Senate Dems. Only after that would the individual be posted for a Senate committee, where they would face questions about their ability to serve on the board from members before having to face a committee vote. If they pass the committee they would then have to pass a full senate vote.
So he strong armed the Governor’s Office and the entire Senate body….that is a tough sell to me. Is there not enough out there to sink him already……this seems like a stretch…..
- Anyone Remember - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 1:45 pm:
===Crony influence peddling- this stuff makes the average joe so upset.===
Still alive & well and supported by the voting public here in Sangamon County.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 2:13 pm:
===Still alive & well and supported by the voting public here in Sangamon County===
And the nation.
- Ryder - Thursday, Dec 5, 24 @ 8:11 pm:
Impresario Barnum-1:09pm I think the Jury would disagree with your analysis…..Madigan strong armed the entire State for many years….it’s just now they got him on tape. We shall see how a Jury decides in its’ Verdict. The reclusive Speaker on video looks like a greedy self serving and entitled teen age brat.