Mike Madigan trial: Government calls first witnesses to testify
CHICAGO - Federal prosecutors opened their case against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday with testimony from a pair of former Illinois lawmakers, who testified Madigan controlled all aspects of legislation and politics with an iron fist.
The first witness called by prosecutors in what’s expected to be a three-month trial was former Democratic State Rep. Carol Sente. She testified that Madigan had ultimate control over what legislation would pass and what would die, as prosecutors tried to prove their case that nothing happened in Springfield without Madigan’s say so.
Later, another former Democratic state lawmaker, Scott Drury, told jurors: "The Speaker had the ultimate authority to control the legislation, the committees. The Speaker had a lot of power."
Drury said at one point he had a meeting with Madigan, who told him he couldn’t figure out what Drury wanted.
"I just said I want good government, and he just laughed," Drury testified.
Madigan and his confidante and co-defendant Michael McClain are standing trial on 23 felony counts, including racketeering, bribery, wire fraud and extortion for a series of alleged schemes in which prosecutors say Madigan traded his power to influence legislation for personal profit and political support.
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The day started with an opening statement by McClain’s Attorney, John Mitchell, who told jurors all the deal-making was above board. Mitchell said the feds are trying to criminalize political favors.
Mitchell also took a preemptive punch at former Chicago alderman Danny Solis, expected to be one of the prosecution’s star witnesses.
Solis secretly recorded conversations with Madigan.
"You’ll see what a real criminal looks like. You’ll see what a real political corruption defendant looks like. It’ll take him a week to testify about all the bribes he took," Mitchell told the jury.
Madigan didn't talk during the trial but was all smiles as he walked out of the courthouse Tuesday evening with his defense team.
The trial is scheduled to resume at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Wednesday morning.