The prosecution has concluded its case against former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who is accused of engaging in a pattern of bribery and racketeering. The defense will now present its case, with a focus on arguing that Madigan's actions were part of the normal give-and-take of the lobbying process.
The prosecution rested their case on Wednesday morning, capping off nearly three months of testimony and taped conversations between Madigan and a slew of Illinois political leaders and lobbyists.More than 150 tapes, wiretaps and transcripts have been entered into evidence during the trial, with prosecutors aiming to lay out their case that Madigan allegedly traded jobs and favors in exchange for his favorable votes while he was the speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives.
Madigan, once Illinois’ most powerful political leader, was indicted on 23 counts of bribery, racketeering, extortion and wire fraud in connection with the corruption investigation that has resulted in numerous convictions and prison sentences for other officials and lobbyists. Prosecutors accused Madigan of leading a “criminal enterprise” as part of an effort to enhance his political power, while generating income for allies and associates. Danny Solis is the government's star witness against once-powerful Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, but on Monday, Madigan’s attorneys took aim at the former Chicago alderman. As the prosecution rests, the defense picks up their part of the trial, with a former AT&T lobbyist testifying on Wednesday. Stephen Selke is expected to spell out how members of the Illinois House were lobbied in Springfield, trying to add fuel to the arguments of both Madigan and Michael McClain, a close confidant of the former speaker, that they engaged in nothing more than the normal give and take of the lobbying process.The prosecution has relied heavily on recordings of phone calls between Madigan and McClain, who was also indicted and is a defendant in the trial. Some of those phone calls also involved former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who secretly recorded phone calls and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in exchange for working as a government informan
BRIBERY RACKETEERING POLITICS ILLINOIS CORRUPTION
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