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* Courthouse News…
Opening arguments began Monday in the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who faces 23 bribery, fraud, racketeering and conspiracy charges related to five “episodes” over the last 14 years.
The former speaker wore a charcoal suit with a red tie, watching dispassionately and taking notes as federal prosecutor Sarah Streicker laid out the government’s case against him.
“Madigan abused his power and used the organizations he led to engage in a pattern of corrupt conduct over and over and over again,” she told the jurors. […]
The biggest issue that the expected 11-week trial will examine is Madigan’s purported efforts to help pass legislation benefitting Illinois’ largest energy utility Commonwealth Edison between 2011 and 2019. In exchange for help getting those laws passed, prosecutors say the company helped arrange jobs, contracts and kickbacks for those in Madigan’s network. Streicker said that whether or not ComEd’s favored laws benefitted Illinoisans is irrelevant to how they were passed.
“The crime here is the means that was used to get this legislation passed, which was bribes,” Streicker said.
* AP…
Over two hours, Streicker gave an overview of the government’s case, presenting slides with photos and flow charts of key players accused in the schemes, handwritten Madigan documents and quotes from wiretapped conversations.
Madigan’s defense attorneys quickly batted down the accusations in their opening statement.
“She is relying on bad information. She is relying on unreliable sources. And she is relying on guess work and speculation,” said defense attorney Tom Breen. “You are going to hear some out-and-out lies.”
Instead, defense attorneys painted a picture of Madigan, who resigned in 2021, as devoted to his working-class legislative district on the city’s Southwest Side near Midway International Airport.
“He was in fact, incorruptible,” Breen said.
* WTTW…
Ultimately, Streicker alleged, Madigan arranged for $1.3 million in contracts for his “political cronies” who did little or no work.
“This was the defendant’s racket,” Streicker said. “The corruption of public office for private gain.”
Madigan attorney Tom Breen disputed that, claiming instead that the government’s case was built around “some out-and-out lies.”
“(Streicker) is relying on bad information,” Breen said. “She is relying on unreliable sources and she is relying on guesswork and speculation. The evidence will not support a finding of guilty.”
Breen said Madigan wasn’t some “all-powerful individual,” but instead came from humble beginnings and a blue-collar family following the Great Depression, and only became interested in politics because he wanted to help those around him.
Yes, he was so very altruistic /s
* Tribune…
Decrying the government’s cooperating witnesses as liars with an “axe to grind” who were operating without the speaker’s knowledge or authorization, attorney Tom Breen urged jurors to focus on what Madigan’s intentions were, “not what somebody else says” on some 200 wiretapped audio and video recordings that will dominate the 11-week trial.
What they’ll find, Breen said, is a man trying to provide jobs and opportunities for his constituents following in the footsteps of his father, a 13th Ward superintendent.
“What you will see is that his intention, like his daddy taught him, was to protect the Democratic agenda. The working stiff,” Breen said. He said that while others may have been scheming behind Madigan’s back, “He doesn’t act that way.”
“He has never made a demand on anybody,” Breen said, at one point slapping the lectern for effect. “If someone says he did, that’s bull. That’s just bull.”
Madigan made plenty of demands. But he also didn’t need to always make those demands because people could see what had happened to those who didn’t follow the program. Also, he could pull a million strings on you if you stepped out of line. Others would make the demands for him.
* Sun-Times…
Madigan was elected speaker “because the people who voted for him trusted him” and then went on to build consensus in the Legislature, Breen said. He claimed that Madigan’s aversion to confrontation led to a “tic in his speaking” where it sounds like he is agreeing with people.
But mostly, Breen said, Madigan was driven by the brief period in the 1990s when Republicans controlled the Illinois House of Representatives. Breen leaned heavily into the perception that Republican leadership would be especially damaging.
A decision was made, he said, that “we don’t want the Republicans to be the majority here. We can’t take it. Because they’re … going to blow a hole in our constituents.” So, he said, Madigan “doubled down, tripled down, quadrupled down” on building political war chests.
This all amounted to new context through which jurors might view the feds’ evidence. Madigan is accused of five different schemes. In two of them, Madigan is accused of seeking and accepting bribes from ComEd and AT&T Illinois while the utilities were seeking favorable action from Madigan.
ComEd and AT&T were not gigantic campaign contributors. What MJM wanted was “jobs” for his people so they had plenty of free time to work and manage campaigns, or perks (like ComEd internships) so that he could entice others into “volunteering.” He saw nothing wrong with squeezing a big corporation. The feds begged to differ. And here we are.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 8:42 am
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=Madigan wasn’t some “all-powerful individual…He was in fact, incorruptible=
Just spit out my coffee laughing
Comment by Donnie Elgin Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 9:06 am
ComEd didn’t bribe Madigan, they paid a gratuity for services rendered.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 9:09 am
MJM’s lawyer seems to fit the mob lawyer stereotype… kind of telling, isn’t it?
Comment by Lincoln Lad Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 9:52 am
Lincoln Lad please don’t allude to the fact that Tom Breen represented Alderman Fred Roti , the high ranking made member of the Chicago Mob in his criminal trial.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/1993/05/14/sorry-ashamed-roti-gets-4-year-term/
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 9:59 am
=== “He has never made a demand on anybody,” ===
LOL
=== … that’s bull ===
Yep, hope those in the courtroom have their boots on.
Reading Rich’s post is liking watching the Manning cast of the Monday night football game. Look forward to the next …
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 10:06 am
“If my client is guilty of anything, it’s of loving Illinois too much.”
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 10:06 am
Laugh at Tom Breen all you want, but he is a very skilled trial attorney.
I thought his opening statement was a bit over-the-top, but he’s got to believe he is going somewhere with it.
The AUSA has a name like it came out of a script. This should be a fun trial.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 10:13 am
===tic in his speaking===
Do they have an expert to prove this assertion? Gotta find a favorable speech therapist.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 10:15 am
Huh? for the win!
Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 10:35 am
AlfondoGonz is correct. Tom Breen is one of the best in the business.
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 10:43 am
Going to be interesting.
Knowing what happened, and proving what happened are two different kettles of fish.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 11:20 am
Where is the crime?
Comment by Moon Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 11:25 am
==Decrying the government’s cooperating witnesses as liars with an “axe to grind” who were operating without the speaker’s knowledge or authorization,==
Im going to be interested to see how he argues this. How someone like Ed Moody either has a axe to grind or did anything without 6500 S Pulaski knowing about it.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 11:42 am
===Where is the crime?===
This for that. Assuming prosecutors can prove it to the jury.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 11:55 am
No doubt , Breen is one of the best. If I was in Madigan’s shoes that’s who I would want. He’s an expert at raising doubt.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 12:53 pm
@low level- The feds were able to squeeze Ed Moody because he was the only one who would stand to lose his government pension if he was convicted of anything. Ed Moody was still working his government job with Cook County while collecting the side money for lobbying under Doherty’s company. All the rest of the ghost subcontractors were already collecting their pensions when the alleged scheme began therefore, they wouldn’t lose their pensions if they were convicted of anything.
Comment by sox11 Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 2:25 pm
@ low level– Keep in mind that government employees aren’t eligible to collect full social security because of being able to collect a government pension so the threat of losing the pension for Ed Moody would be a huge blow to his income in retirement. Ed Moody had nothing to fall back on everything he got was from MJM. If you ever had a conversation with Ed and Fred Moody you would think they didn’t even finish high school. Thats how big of a deal it was for Ed to keep his government pension. Lastly Fred Moody was lucky Dorothy Brown stayed for one more term or else he wouldn’t have had enough time on the books with Cook County to start collecting his government pension.
Comment by sox11 Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 2:36 pm
So Breen is going to suggest Ed Moody and Jay Doherty got together and came up with this idea on their own? OK.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 2:39 pm
@low level– No, Ed Moody was the easiest one to squeeze out of the whole bunch of subcontractors.
Comment by sox11 Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 2:43 pm
@sox11, Love the nickname. I’ll admit, when I first met the Moodys, I wasn’t impressed. At all. However as time went on, and I ran into them and had conversations, Fred especially, I came to like and respect them. They certainly aren’t stupid.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 3:05 pm
Ed and Fred Moody were top advisors to Alderman Marty Quinn(13th Ward). Marty was Madigan’s go to guy to run legislative campaigns…and got paid lucratively…hundreds of thousands….to do so while managing minions of free labor volunteers. Nice gig. Both brothers were trusted like family by the powers that be. The Feds seen a clear opening in flipping Ed because he was working while the alleged schemes were occurring and his Pension would be at risk. Very simple.
Comment by Ryder Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 3:16 pm
=== Ed and Fred Moody were top advisors to Alderman Marty Quinn(13th Ward). ===
Advisors? They knocked on doors. That’s it.
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 3:42 pm
Barrister’s Lectern—3:42pm….nah…both brothers could be seen regularly huddled up in Alderman Quinn’s Office… they also were in attendance on many Sunday Roundup Conference Calls re Legislative Races for the powers that be. Ed Moody was sponsored and became a Cook County Commissioner and then Recorder of Deeds. Ask anyone that worked closely with 13….and they will tell you…..they did far more than knock on doors…
Marty loved these guys.
Comment by Ryder Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 4:41 pm
Ryder - you must be one of the Moodys or one of their lackeys because I don’t know anyone associated with the 13th Ward that has ever thought of the Moodys as “advisors” to Marty Quinn - or anyone else for that matter.
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 4:50 pm
Barrister’s Lectern you obviously were not in the ComEd four court room when former top aid Will Cousineau identified Fred Moody as attending the inner circle strategy meetings with Speaker Madigan. Check out the court transcripts.
Comment by Frumpy White Guy Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 6:21 pm
Barrister’s Lectern—- I have seen it with my own eyes that the Moody brothers would always be in Marty’s office advising him. The Moodys were Marty’s point men for training new precinct captains. Most of the precinct captains were recommended by the Moodys themselves.
Comment by Tony O Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 6:35 pm
Barrister…..Obviously you don’t know anyone with the 13th Ward. The Moody Brothers were Marty’s point men in training new Pct Cptns and they were involved intimately with the Program.
Comment by Ryder Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 6:43 pm
Ryder - or should I say Fred - thanks for the lecture. Lol
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 6:55 pm
The Moodys were definitely known and respected at 6500 S Pulaski. No doubt about that.
Comment by low level Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 9:07 pm
Hannibal…I’m not Fred and I meant no offense and didn’t think I was lecturing. I was just providing some intimate knowledge of the players involved because I worked with them. I think Rich’s reporting on the Trial is superb. There are no winners and losers in this chapter of Illinois History. In the end…it will be as it is now….all very sad.
Comment by Ryder Tuesday, Oct 22, 24 @ 9:47 pm