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Report: Solis probe focus was originally about Madigan, not Burke

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With a sprawling political corruption investigation drawing ever closer to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Tribune has learned that a Chicago alderman cooperating with the government secretly made audio and video recordings of the once-powerful politician on a variety of topics.

Then-25th Ward Ald. Daniel Solis recorded Madigan on numerous occasions as the speaker allegedly sought business for his private law firm, two sources with knowledge of the probe said.

Among their discussions was a plan to turn a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development. Though the land deal never was consummated, it’s been a source of continued interest for federal investigators, who last year subpoenaed Madigan’s office for records and communications he’d had with key players. At least one of them recently appeared before the grand jury investigating Madigan’s political operation, sources told the Tribune.

In the ensuing months, Solis recorded Madigan talking with another developer about potential real estate deals, the sources said. He also wired up on a number of colleagues at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, which his sister, Patti Solis Doyle, had helped organize and where Madigan led the Illinois delegation, according to court records and sources.

The Solis recordings of Madigan, which have not been reported before, add to the public’s understanding of the long-running federal probe. When Solis was first approached by federal investigators five years ago, for example, it wasn’t Ald. Edward Burke who was in their sights, but Madigan.

And that’s pretty much the extent of the new stuff in the story. The G was trying to get Madigan five years ago. Nothing has yet come of it despite Burke’s indictment and indictments all around Madigan on other topics. And somebody is leaking again for some reason.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:12 am

Comments

===And somebody is leaking again for some reason.===

Isn’t there a grand jury empaneled that is looking at this stuff? Is this an attempt to get reporters to just rehash the laundry list of Madigan smears that haven’t ever resulted in charges? Is there such a thing as “grand jury tampering?”

Also, the takeaway I got from this story was that it was Solis, not Madigan, who was caught on tape promising a quid pro quo. If the feds have any actual evidence against Madigan, they most likely wouldn’t need to drip this stuff out to remind people of everything nasty the Tribune has written about him for 20 years.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:19 am
===Madigan is finally going to prison after all…===

===And somebody is leaking again for some reason.===

The Feds leak when they have a weak case. They do it to try to get someone to panic and roll over. If they have a decent case, the press release is the indictment.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:24 am
===And somebody is leaking again for some reason.===

This is beginning to remind me of the Paul Newman movie Absence of Malice.

Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:27 am
=== The G was trying to get Madigan five years ago. Nothing has yet come of it despite Burke’s indictment and indictments all around Madigan on other topics. And somebody is leaking again for some reason.===

“If think about it. You got some big arrests. You got Aldermen, a state Senator. You look good. You’re gonna be all over the news. See, those are the ones that you round up. And why? Because what, they’re the easiest to go after? And what about the real ward boss? You didn’t even come close to the big leagues. That big fish. The money. I’m sorry to tell you, you STILL don’t got ‘em.”

- Chicago Hustle, maybe.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:32 am
Dud…seems like the Federales don’t have the goods–with relation to this Solis-recordings probe–on MJM. If this was going on for many years, they would have nabbed MJM a year or 2 ago thanks in large part to Solis.

Seems like that got nada…

Because we are not currently in session, no indictment anyway till Veto…just sayin’

Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:32 am
Right, if this leak was intended to indicate that the net is closing around Madigan, it gives the exact opposite impression.

Comment by ZC Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:36 am
Interesting theories although:
Recall the comparable Tribune scoop that the feds were recording Rod Blagojevich. About four days later, kaboom.
That episode didn’t fit any of the explanations offered here — weak evidence, effort to panic a witness, attempt to goose a grand jury.
Maybe we just wait to see what happens next …..

Comment by Perplexed Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:37 am
The most significant fact from the Chicago Tribune article is this statement : ” He also wired up on a number of colleagues at the 2016 Democratic National Convention..”. So , the FBI had Danny Solis wear a wire at the Democratic National Convention in 2016 on many politicians far away from Chicago.

Comment by Cook County Man Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:40 am
Turns out that no phone policy was a pretty good one.

Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:50 am
COVID-19 might have caused a tolling of many cases. Whatever Alderman Solis produced for the Justice Department, it must be significant given that Solis isn’t going to do jail time.

Comment by Hot fingers Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:51 am
=== Turns out that no phone policy was a pretty good one.===

“Paulie hated phones… “

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:54 am
Cook County Man. Exactly, same thought I had after reading the article - that’s the first time I’ve read he wore a wire at the DNC in 2016. Wonder how many conversations were recorded in Philadelphia.

Comment by west wing Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:59 am
==“Paulie hated phones… “==

I can only imagine how much Paulie would have hated e-mail

Comment by SAP Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 11:59 am
Solis seems like a train wreck. He was hot before this investigation. Sure, Madigan might have been the target, but you apply pressure where you can. It seems to have been a pretty effective stratagem for the Feds so far.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:00 pm
I think my favorite thing about this website are the people that still, with a straight face, defend MJM or maintain the position that nothing is going to happen to him. Comedy.

Comment by de Gaulle Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:01 pm
I believe they have been investigating Madigan for more than 20 years, so I am not surprised they have him on tape from 2016.I would bet the tapes started far before 2016.

This Trib. article

Comment by MOON Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:02 pm
Longer this goes without indictment the less people care. Madigan will be 80 soon, didn’t draw the maps, isn’t Speaker, isn’t Chair of DPI. At some point it’s diminishing returns.
Unless the return is a giant payday at a private firm for the Asst US Attorney? Catching the great white whale has got to make you a 7 figure baby the moment you walk out the door.

Comment by Frank talks Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:03 pm
Innocent or guilty. ..this constant drip drip drip would be hard on anyone. Wondering how long this Investigation will last?

Comment by The Swede Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:03 pm
=== defend MJM or maintain the position that nothing is going to happen to him.===

Aren’t we all innocent until proven guilty?

“Watch what does happen”

It may not be comedy to you, but it’s sad and a lil pathetic to see process and the thirst of a want for indictment or believe that innocence is already thrown out.

This is going on five years. The recordings five years ago won’t be any different if played today.

The Mapes lying to a grand jury is more of a tell to what the G is going after than this leak.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:07 pm
“Solis isn’t going to do jail time.”

While Solis has not been charged with any crimes and federal prosecutors have not commented on any immunity deal just yet, he must have been producing ‘goods’ via wiretaps even at the DNC.

Just fantastic…Solis recording live while HRC is giving her nomination speech.

Comment by Pizza Man Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:14 pm
We know Speaker Madigan is highly intelligent, and knew how to use his position to accomplish his goals.

For his entire political career–50 years in the House–he was always prepared and cautious, understood timing, fundraising, politics, and team-building, and surrounded himself with capable, loyal assistants.

He knew the boundaries of the criminal law. It’s possible he could occasionally stray outside those boundaries, using his skills. It’s also possible he always lived within them.

Comment by James Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:15 pm
Maybe we should rename the Asian carp to John Lausch.

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:20 pm
Solis is wired up in summer of 2016. In the Zack Fardon era. so Fardon started down this road. who knows if Fardon would have kept this going based on what he found, but Lausch inherited it and it continues. both sides of the aisle found the action to be of interest.

Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:40 pm
>> the people that still, with a straight face, defend MJM or maintain the position that nothing is going to happen to him. Comedy.

Speculation about “will the feds get Madigan” has been around for. Literally. Decades.

At this point, predicting no ultimate indictment, is like buying Johnson & Johnson stock - not the flashiest decision, but in the end, you’ll probably be more right than you are wrong.

Comment by ZC Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:46 pm
===I think my favorite thing about this website are the people that still, with a straight face, defend MJM or maintain the position that nothing is going to happen to him. Comedy.===

Who on this website is defending MJM? No one. Many of us are skeptical about a fed case based on our experiences with the feds over the years. It appears, based on their actions, that the Feds do not have a very strong case.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:54 pm
“I think my favorite thing about this website are the people that still, with a straight face, defend MJM.”
Which comment is defending MJM?
I see a few that don’t believe anything will happen, and I agree. If something were to happen it would have happened already.

Comment by All this Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 12:58 pm
The Trib article seems to think that it is some kind of “gotcha” that Madigan, a real-estate lawyer, was caught on tape discussing real-estate deals.

Comment by duck duck goose Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:16 pm
“I think my favorite thing about this website are the people that still, with a straight face, defend MJM.”

How is pointing out the US Supreme Court’s decades long aversion to convictions using “honest services” (stretching from former IL Governor Otto Governor to former VA Governor Bob McDonnell) “defending Madigan” ?? The Supremes seem to be adverse to politicians being convicted of “corruption” unless they receive something tangible (cash, although Solis asked for and received “baser” tangibles).

Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:32 pm
===How is pointing out===

Don’t bother. Most folks don’t do nuance.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 2:33 pm
Don’t assume the feds leaked this. These tapes may have been turned over in discovery to defense counsel in cases where Solis will be a witness - like the Burke case. There’s more than one potential source.

Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 3:44 pm
The remarks by Avery Bourne are new, or at least new to me. Good for her for having the sense not to get involved.

Comment by Craig Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 4:00 pm
“In the Zack Fardon era. so Fardon started down this road. who knows if Fardon would have kept this going based on what he found…” This investigation was started under USAO-NDIL Patrick Fitzgerald, if not before. Fitzgerald is the only U.S. Attorney for the Northern District who did anything real for the people of Chicago and Illinois since Eliot Ness.

Fardon is weak, that’s why he was put in the office. Someone like Patrick Collins would have done a serious job, but many vested interests want a weak U.S. Attorney in Chicago, to focus on “street crime” (not political crime).

Comment by Payback Wednesday, Jun 9, 21 @ 10:50 pm
Unless Madigan is being investigated for murder or an unpaid parking ticket, when does the statute of limitations run out?

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Jun 10, 21 @ 8:45 am