* Capitol News Illinois…

Former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo never had to appear in a federal courtroom between 2021 and 2022 as he was arraigned on tax evasion charges, later pleaded guilty and was then sentenced to six months in prison all via videoconference due to COVID-19.

But on Tuesday, Acevedo was summoned to the Dirksen Federal Courthouse so the judge overseeing former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial could evaluate whether he’s fit to testify. And on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge John Blakey ordered him to come back next week to appear on the witness stand under an immunity order. […]

Before the judge’s ruling, Acevedo attorney Gabrielle Sansonetti argued the 61-year-old’s dementia diagnosis caused her client to give misinformation during his interview Tuesday afternoon, saying she only had an interest in “not putting someone on the stand to just humiliate them.”

While defense lawyers argued Acevedo “clearly” displayed “a lack of recollection” on Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu claimed the former lawmaker was “wholly capable of testifying and it’s not even close.”

* Tribune…

If the parties agree, Acevedo’s testimony might be video recorded on Monday and played for the jury on Tuesday, rather than have him live on the witness stand, to avoid any outbursts or irrelevant remarks, the judge has said. […]

Madigan attorney Daniel Collins, meanwhile, noted that while Acevedo’s demeanor was lucid, he was confused about basic questions — including mixing up work for two different companies.

“When it came to the facts at issue, there was clearly a lack of recollection and clearly a lack of understanding,” Collins said. “… This is going to be an absolute mishmash on the facts that matter.”

Acevedo’s attorney Gabrielle Sansonetti, meanwhile, said that given Acevedo’s diagnosis, any testimony he gives could not be considered credible. In Tuesday’s conference, while he was calm and lucid, Acevedo gave “misinformation” and inaccurate answers to Blakey’s questions, she said.

* Sun-Times…

The feds say Acevedo is one of five Madigan allies who were funneled money from ComEd while doing little or no work for the utility. They say Acevedo received $120,000 in 2017 and 2018, after he left the General Assembly, as part of the scheme.

Prosecutors also say Madigan was bribed similarly by AT&T Illinois in 2017, as it sought to pass its own bill in the Legislature, by paying Acevedo $22,500. Jurors began hearing evidence related to those allegations on Tuesday.

Jurors have been told that Acevedo was important to Madigan because he was a leader in the Latino community, and that population had begun to grow in Madigan’s 22nd District. Acevedo co-chaired the General Assembly’s Latino Caucus.

A former Chicago police officer, Acevedo represented the 2nd District from 1997 until 2017, before an unsuccessful campaign for Cook County sheriff in 2018. He pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2021.

* Center Square…

Earlier Tuesday, Blakey overruled objections from both defense teams over the admissibility of evidence related to AT&T and said he would later provide his written findings on the issue.

Madigan attorney Dan Collins argued the AT&T exhibits should not be admissible without testimony from Steve Selcke, a former AT&T employee who testified during the trial of former AT&T executive Paul La Schiazza earlier this year.

A judge declared a mistrial in September after a jury deadlocked 11-1 on charges alleging that La Schiazza bribed Madigan.

After Blakey’s ruling Tuesday, Madigan attorney Todd Pugh said the defense team would subpoena Selcke to testify.

* WTTW…

Prosecutors plan to admit emails spanning from February to April 2017, when AT&T’s top legislative priority bill was pending in the Illinois House.

In one of those emails from Feb. 14, 2017, McClain asked an AT&T official whether there was “even a small contract” for Acevedo. Two days later, McClain told La Schiazza that Madigan had assigned him to work on the AT&T legislation as a “Special Project.”

On March 28, 2017, La Schiazza allegedly confirmed that AT&T had gotten the “GO order” to hire Acevedo — which prosecutors claimed was a directive from Madigan, given through McClain — and directed his employees to “move quickly to get this done.”

“McClain’s simultaneous work on AT&T’s legislation while pushing the company to pay (Acevedo) illustrates how the hiring of (Acevedo) was connected to AT&T’s legislation,” prosecutors wrote in a pretrial motion

* More…

* NBC Chicago | Judge to decide if Madigan ally is competent to testify against him: Last Week, Federal Judge John Blakey granted him immunity and compelled his testimony, but his attorneys said Acevedo suffers from dementia. Gabrielle Sansonetti argued Monday that “the impact of that in his testimony is concerning and is a matter that is legitimate.”

* Tribune | ‘What is the story on this?’: Jury in Madigan corruption trial hears more on alleged Chinatown land transfer scheme: In the final days of the spring 2018 legislative session, a lobbyist approached then-Illinois state Rep. Avery Bourne with a slightly cryptic request to add an amendment to the otherwise ordinary land transfer bill she was sponsoring. The amendment would have included the transfer of a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown to the city, so it could be developed into a mixed-use high-rise. After being handed the draft language, Bourne, a downstate Republican, scribbled some notes, including “Have you spoken to the department?” and “What is the story on this?” It turns out the story was much more convoluted than Bourne could have possibly predicted.