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Ed Moody, a former Cook County commissioner, Cook County recorder of deeds and Chicago 13th Ward precinct captain, took the stand Wednesday in the ongoing federal corruption trial of ex-Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. His testimony gave the jury a look into how Madigan’s political network in Chicago operated.
Moody testified that he began working in politics in Chicago in the early 1990s alongside his brother Fred. The brothers met Madigan in 1989 or 1990, Moody said, and they earned a reputation as effective political canvassers during the 1992 elections. Madigan’s political office in Chicago’s 13th Ward — which overlapped with his state legislative district — made them local precinct captains, charged with turning out Democratic votes. By 1994, Moody said he and his brother were training other Democratic political workers, and that Madigan attended their training seminars.
Moody stayed active in Chicago Democratic politics for more than two decades afterward, and said he landed a court coordinator job with the Cook County court system in 1993 with Madigan’s help. He kept that gig for 23 years, and was appointed a Cook County commissioner in October 2016 to fill a recent vacancy. He served in that role for two years before becoming Cook County recorder of deeds, a now-abolished position, from December 2018 to December 2020.
Through it all, he credited Madigan as his patron.
“He’s my political leader,” Moody said of Madigan on Wednesday.
In 2011, after two decades of steady campaign work – which eventually turned from volunteer hours to paid labor – Moody approached Madigan with a request. As he approached his 50th birthday, he realized he needed to save more for his retirement, despite the pension guaranteed to him from his years working for Cook County government. Moody asked the speaker if he could connect him with some political consulting work in order to earn an extra $45,000 a year.
But Moody said the speaker didn’t give him an answer in their initial meeting, and he never heard from Madigan afterward. The lack of response from their political mentor made both him and his brother “hurt and upset.” So, Moody set up another meeting with the speaker, this time with his twin in tow.
On Wednesday, he described the emotional meeting and said the normally taciturn Madigan grew upset too.
“He said, ‘calm down, calm down,’” Moody recalled. “He said ‘you’ll get your contract.’ … As the conversation was settling down a bit, Mr. Madigan said, ‘This is how I reward my good soldiers.’”
* Tribune…
According to his testimony, from 2012 to 2019, Moody was sent some $354,000 from ComEd through Madigan-connected contractors for essentially no work, beyond making a few pointless phone calls.
One person he supposedly worked for, Shaw Decremer, never even talked to him about it in person, Moody testified. When he saw Decremer once on the street downtown, he was on his cellphone and looked busy, and simply gave Moody a “thumbs up” before moving on, Moody said.
Throughout his time on ComEd’s payroll, Moody said, Madigan assured him that everyone was happy with the arrangement. In fact, in 2018, when Moody’s contract was moved again to another lobbyist, John Bradley, the speaker told him in no uncertain terms he had “nothing to worry about.”
At the time, Moody was campaigning on Madigan’s block, working against state Sen. Martin Sandoval’s daughter, Angie, who was running for Cook County commissioner. Moody said Madigan had thrown his political resources behind Jesús “Chuy” García’s favored candidate, Alma Anaya.
* Sun-Times…
As part of his deal with McClain, Moody said he made one round of phone calls to state lawmakers each month — a task that took him an entire hour. Between January and April 2013, he said he also made a canvassing effort on behalf of ComEd.
Then, the arrangement changed. Moody’s money began to flow instead through then-City Club President Jay Doherty, and then through firms belonging to Shaw Decremer and John Bradley, who also have ties to Madigan. Jurors have previously been told that all the money originated with ComEd.
Unlike with McClain, Moody said he did no work at all for the others. He also said that, when the arrangement first began, McClain told him it was “one hell of a plum.
“And I owe the speaker big.”
* Moody is back on the stand this morning…
Moody says it was a little over a month from the FBI raid and his first interview with investigators on June 27, 2019.
Did you talk about the investigation with your brother Fred?
Yes.
Did he tell you to throw Madigan under the bus?
"I didn't throw Madigan under the bus."— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) November 21, 2024
Breen: "You made the personal decision, early on as commissioner, not to run for that office?"
Moody: "No."
Breen: "And you continued to collect campaign contributions?"
Moody: "I had many fundraisers."
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) November 21, 2024
* More…
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 10:43 am
Previous Post: Illinois Supreme Court rules that Jussie Smollett’s second prosecution ‘is a due process violation, and we therefore reverse defendant’s conviction’
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I can’t believe that the federal government is relying on the testimony of someone who has lied to thousands of Illinois residents throughout the years. Maybe they should ask him about RedFlex?
Comment by Barrister's Lectern Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 10:58 am
for anyone who wonders at why Illinois is such a mess in some many ways, here’s the answer. Politicians who believe they own the state and voters who give them every reason to believe it.
Comment by Center Drift Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 11:21 am
Moody worked for the Circuit Court Clerk as a manager for twenty-three years, plus held two appointed positions as a County Commissioner and the Recorder of Deeds, but multiple government pensions were insufficient for his retirement needs? Unreal. Some of the pols have a real sense of entitlement.
Comment by Gravitas Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 11:35 am
== someone who has lied to thousands of Illinois residents throughout the years.==
Im sorry. Could you elaborate on that?
Comment by low level Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 11:56 am
- Im sorry. Could you elaborate on that? -
The Moody brothers were well known to be BS artists when canvassing. It has nothing to do with the legitimacy of his testimony.
Comment by Excitable Boy Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 12:03 pm
== The Moody brothers were well known to be BS artists when canvassing.==
Perhaps. And yet, there was not a politician in the state of Illinois who wouldn’t want them on their team. They got results.
Comment by low level Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 12:45 pm
===Perhaps===
LOLOL
C’mon, now.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 12:46 pm
=I can’t believe that the federal government is relying on the testimony of someone who has lied to thousands of Illinois residents throughout the years. Maybe they should ask him about RedFlex?=
All that may well be true - but the jury will never know about it. Also, note that there are clean hands like an Administrative assistant who also provided damaging testimony against MJM.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 12:51 pm
“My soldiers”??? History tells me the man known as the velvet hammer has never used the phrase “my soldiers”..
Comment by NotRich Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:02 pm
“Moody’s money began to flow instead through then-City Club President Jay Doherty…” The last time I saw Jay was at the Union League Club on October 21, 2019. After the City Club luncheon with Kwame Raoul ended, the camera crews were swarming Jay in the elevator lobby. The press must have known that he and City Club offices had been searched, but that news didn’t break until that nights newscast (to me at least).
Comment by Payback Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:03 pm
I will say this as someone who spent time with Ed and Fred politically and socially. Fred was very disliked among other staff/captain’s of the 13th Ward where Ed was the more pleasant one to be around. Pretty comparable to the Quinn’s. Kevin was likable and Marty was/is not.
Comment by Dutchman Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:05 pm
In an effort to defraud taxpayers by enabling legislation in return for favors, there are no saints. Not the legislator, not his friends/enablers, not the company, and not the recipients of the favors. This is clearly criminal, and sadly was a result of unchecked and unchallenged power for many, many years.
Comment by Lincoln Lad Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:09 pm
===In an effort to defraud taxpayers===
I do not believe that allegation has been made.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:16 pm
Gravitas, I think you’re somewhat combining the two brother’s careers. Fred worked for the Clerk of the Court, Ed for the Chief Judge (IIRC). Your point about Ed’s pension is well taken. Dutchman’s point about the dislike of Fred compared to Ed is accurate from my interactions with them. First I heard about Fred cooperating with the Feds. Fred was the more evangelical of the two when it came to MM devotion.
I was surprised to learn today of his cooperation.
Comment by Original Rambler Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:41 pm
To Excitable Boy:
Moody’s credibility is 100% relevant to the testimony. If he’s a habitual liar to get votes at the door, why wouldn’t he do the same in return for immunity?
Comment by Sneaky Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 1:45 pm
== First I heard about Fred cooperating with the Feds. Fred was the more evangelical of the two when it came to MM devotion.==
Fred’s pension is a little over $100,000. Perhaps he didn’t want to risk it.
Comment by City Zen Thursday, Nov 21, 24 @ 3:33 pm