Trial of Mike Madigan explained

United States v. Madigan
Court:United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Full Name:United States of America v. Michael J. Madigan, Michael F. McClain
Judge:John R. Blakey
Number Of Judges:1
Italic Title:no
Defendant:Mike Madigan

United States v. Madigan (officially the United States of America v. Michael J. Madigan, Michael F. McClain) is the 2024 federal trial involving Mike Madigan, the former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. Madigan was indicted on charges of bribery, racketeering, extortion and fraud.[1] Mike McClain is a co-defendant in the case,[2] [3] who was convicted in the previous year's ComEd case.[4]

The case is regarded as one of the biggest public corruption cases in the history of Illinois,[5] and as a landmark case.[6] The trial has been described as one of the most anticipated public corruption trials in the history of Illinois.[7]

Background

Mike Madigan is indicted on 23 charges, while his close confidant and co-defendant Mike McClain is indicted on six charges. A 117-page grand jury indictment holds that Madigan led what is called the "Madigan Enterprise", which was designed to empower him and enrich his allies as well.[8] Madigan lost a motion to dimiss his bribery charges, as he cited the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the 2024 case Snyder v. United States.[9]

The indictment came after over a decade of FBI and prosecutors investigating and digging for evidence.[10]

Madigan was the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives for nearly four decades, and was considered the political boss of the state.[11] [12]

Assistant U.S. attorneys Sarah Streicker and Julia Schwartz are prosecuting the case.[13] [14] The Madigan legal team is led by Daniel Collins, Tom Breen and Todd Pugh, and McClain’s legal team is led by Patrick Cotter, John Mitchell and David Niemeier.

Trial

Jury selection began on October 8, 2024. Because of Madigan's influence and longevity, the process of selecting a jury was slow, and six days into the process, a full jury had not yet been selected.[15] On October 17, all 12 jurors had been selected, though alternate jurors were still needed.[16]

Opening statements began on October 21, after alternate jurors had finally been selected.

References

  1. News: Smith . Mitch . 2022-03-02 . Powerful Ex-Illinois House Speaker Is Indicted on Federal Charges . 2024-10-14 . The New York Times.
  2. Web site: 2022-03-02 . Former Illinois Speaker of the House Indicted on Federal Racketeering and Bribery Charges in Connection With Alleged Corruption Schemes . 2024-10-13 . www.justice.gov . en.
  3. Web site: 2022-10-14 . Superseding Federal Indictment Against Former Illinois Speaker of the House Adds Charge for Alleged Corruption Scheme Related to AT&T Illinois . 2024-10-14 . www.justice.gov . en.
  4. Web site: Feurer . Todd . 2024-08-28 . "ComEd Four" seek acquittal in Madigan case after Supreme Court ruling narrowing federal bribery laws . 2024-10-17 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  5. News: Meisner . Jason . Long . Ray . Crepeau . Megan . 2024-10-07 . Breaking down the charges in the Michael Madigan indictment . 2024-10-13 . Chicago Tribune.
  6. News: Meisner . Jason . Crepeau . Megan . 2024-10-15 . No jurors picked in landmark Madigan corruption case Tuesday as painstaking selection process enters second week . 2024-10-16 . Chicago Tribune.
  7. News: Long . Ray . Meisner . Jason . Crepeau . Megan . 2024-10-05 . After storied time as the ‘Velvet Hammer,’ Michael Madigan to face a jury . 2024-10-13 . Chicago Tribune.
  8. News: Seidel . Jon . 2024-10-07 . The case against Mike Madigan, laid out in explosive court documents . 2024-10-13 . The Chicago Sun-Times.
  9. Web site: Feurer . Todd . 2024-10-02 . Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan loses bid to dismiss bribery charges ahead of trial . 2024-10-13 . www.cbsnews.com . en-US.
  10. Web site: 2024-10-17 . Mike Madigan trial LIVE updates: No new jurors selected yet this week in former speaker trial . 2024-10-17 . ABC7 Chicago . en.
  11. News: Seidel . Jon . 2024-10-04 . Mike Madigan, once Illinois' most influential powerbroker, now faces federal corruption trial . 2024-10-13 . The Chicago Sun-Times.
  12. Web site: Dixon . Mary . McKinney . Dave . Kong . Mendy . 2024-10-08 . What will Mike Madigan’s federal corruption trial entail? Hear from the experts. . 2024-10-13 . WBEZ . en.
  13. News: Masterson . Matt . 2024-10-21 . ‘This Was the Defendant’s Racket’: Opening Statements Underway in Ex-Speaker Michael Madigan’s Landmark Corruption Trial . 2024-10-21 . WTTW News.
  14. Web site: Meisel . Hannah . 2024-10-23 . Feds ‘turned over heaven and earth’ in Madigan probe but found no real bribes, co-defendant says . 2024-10-23 . Capitol News Illinois . en-US.
  15. News: Masterson . Matt . 2024-10-16 . Jury Selection Remains Slow Going in Ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Landmark Corruption Trial . 2024-10-16 . WTTW News.
  16. Web site: Seidel . Jon . 2024-10-17 . Michael Madigan's 12 jurors have finally been chosen — alternates still needed before openings begin . 2024-10-17 . IPM News . en-US.

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