power and shattered records in his decades-long tenure under
Springfield’s Capitol dome.
But in a federal courthouse in Chicago’s Loop, a grand jury
on Wednesday said he also spent years leading what’s been dubbed the “Madigan
Enterprise” — designed to criminally enrich himself and those loyal to him.
That blockbuster allegation appears in a wide-ranging,
highly anticipated, 106-page indictment that appears to be the culmination of
an aggressive, yearslong federal assault not just on old-school Chicago
politics, but on some of Illinois’ most well-known political dynasties.
Madigan is now one of the most significant Illinois
politicians to face criminal charges, despite having left office more than a
year ago. The Southwest Side Democrat, known as the “Velvet Hammer” for his
quiet but forceful use of power, had held his seat in the state House of
Representatives since 1971 and served as speaker for all but two years between
1983 and 2020.
The indictment was built, in part, on the work of former
longtime Chicago City Council member Danny Solis (25th) whose cooperation with
federal prosecutors was first exposed by the Chicago Sun-Times in January 2019,
and who helped the feds build a similar indictment against Ald. Edward M. Burke
(14th), the longest-serving member of the council.
The Sun-Times also exclusively reported in January 2019 on
an affidavit detailing the investigation that led to Solis’ cooperation. That
document revealed that the feds secretly recorded Madigan in his law office at
Madigan & Getzendanner in August 2014. Court records filed in connection
with Madigan’s indictment Wednesday confirm the investigation goes back to the
same year.
In March 2019, the Sun-Times also reported on a potential
deal involving Solis and a Chinatown parking lot that is now part of Madigan’s
indictment.
Solis declined to comment Wednesday.
In addition to Burke and Madigan, U.S. Attorney John
Lausch’s office just weeks ago secured the conviction of former Ald. Patrick
Daley Thompson — grandson and nephew of Chicago’s two longest-serving mayors.
Now, Madigan, 79, is charged with a racketeering conspiracy
and using interstate facilities for bribery, wire fraud and attempted
extortion. Also named in Wednesday’s indictment was longtime Madigan confidant
Michael McClain, 74, who faces similar charges. The case has been assigned to
U.S. District Judge John Blakey, and an arraignment is set for March 9.
Madigan and his defense attorneys labeled the charges
“baseless” and accused Lausch’s office of overreach.
“I was never involved in any criminal activity,” Madigan
said in a statement. “The government is attempting to criminalize a routine
constituent service: job recommendations. That is not illegal, and these other
charges are equally unfounded. Throughout my 50 years as a public servant, I
worked to address the needs of my constituents, always keeping in mind the high
standards required and the trust the public placed in me. I adamantly deny
these accusations and look back proudly on my time as an elected official,
serving the people of Illinois.”
Madigan defense attorneys Sheldon Zenner and Gil Soffer also
said, “Mr. Madigan vehemently rejects the notion that he was involved in
criminal activity — before, during or after his long career as a public
servant. The government’s overreach in charging him with these alleged crimes
is groundless, and we intend to prevail in court.”
Patrick Cotter, McClain’s defense attorney, said in a
statement that McClain is innocent, and that prosecutors have been trying to
get McClain to cooperate “for years.”
“He will never testify falsely about himself or anyone, no
matter how many indictments are brought against him,” Cotter said. “We will
fight to prove his innocence.”
Though it’s been more than a year since Madigan was forced
from office by the very probe that led to Wednesday’s indictment, it still sent
shockwaves through Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is mentioned but not
accused of wrongdoing in the document, called it “a condemnation of a system
infected with promises of pay-to-play.” He said, “the era of corruption and
self-dealing among Illinois politicians must end.”
A Pritzker spokeswoman later confirmed the governor spoke to
federal investigators in late February virtually, from his home, for an hour on
a voluntary basis. She said he answered every question, that he was pleased to
cooperate, and that he was told he was only a witness.
During a news conference at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse,
Lausch told reporters that the conduct alleged in Madigan’s indictment
“drastically undermines the public’s confidence in our government . . . As I’ve
said before, we have a very stubborn public corruption problem here in Illinois.”
Lausch also said there’s more “work ahead of us,” as the
investigation remains ongoing.
It’s unclear what the charges will mean for a separate
indictment filed in November 2020 that accused McClain and others of trying to
sway Madigan in favor of legislation beneficial to ComEd. Also charged in that
case are ex-ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker and
onetime City Club President Jay Doherty.
They are set for trial Sept. 12.
ComEd was charged with bribery in July 2020, in a case that
first implicated Madigan. ComEd agreed to pay a $200 million fine and entered
into a so-called deferred-prosecution agreement with Lausch’s office. The
three-year deal is already beyond its halfway point.
Similar to the November 2020 indictment of McClain and
others, the indictment on Wednesday alleges that Madigan and McClain sought
jobs, contracts and money for Madigan’s associates from ComEd between 2011 and
2019 and that Madigan took official action to help ComEd pass favorable legislation.
But it also reveals a new alleged scheme involving Solis in
his final weeks as a secret government cooperator. The indictment alleges that
Madigan agreed to help Solis land a spot on a state board paying at least
$93,926 a year following his retirement from the City Council.
During a meeting Aug. 2, 2018, Madigan allegedly told Solis
he would help Solis land the spot by going to Pritzker, who is identified in
the indictment as “the future Governor of the State of Illinois.” Madigan
allegedly told Solis, “you’d come in as [Pritzker’s] recommendation.”
Madigan allegedly told Solis, “just leave it in my hands”
but then also asked Solis to help a relative of Madigan’s, as well as that
person’s employer.
Later, on Oct. 26, 2018, after Solis told Madigan that an
individual not named in the indictment had agreed to give business to Madigan’s
law firm, Madigan allegedly told Solis he would induce the governor to appoint
Solis to a state board.
In a Nov. 23, 2018, meeting, Solis told Madigan he would not
run for re-election. Madigan allegedly thanked Solis, asked for Solis’ resume
and said he wanted to let Pritzker “know what’s coming next.” By then Pritzker
was governor-elect.
Madigan allegedly said his communication with Pritzker did
not “need to be in writing. I can just verbally tell him.” Madigan and Pritzker
then met on Dec. 4, 2018, according to the indictment.
Lausch stressed Wednesday that “there’s no allegation in
this indictment against the governor or his staff.” Pritzker spokeswoman Emily Bittner
said the governor “does not recall Michael Madigan ever asking him to consider
Danny Solis for any position. In addition, the administration has no record of
Solis being recommended by Madigan. In addition, he was never vetted, appointed
or hired for any role in the administration.”
The Sun-Times revealed Solis was a federal informant seven
weeks after the meeting mentioned in the indictment. Two months after that, the
Sun-Times also reported on unsuccessful efforts supported by Solis to transfer
a Chinatown property from the state to the city to clear the way for a
developer’s proposal.
The new indictment alleges that Madigan agreed to help make
the transfer happen in exchange for business for his firm. For example, after
Solis allegedly told McClain around Dec. 18, 2017, that, “in the past, I have been
able to steer some work to Mike, and these guys will do the same thing,”
McClain allegedly agreed that Madigan would assist with the parcel’s transfer.
And on March 27, 2018, after Solis told Madigan that a
development group would “appreciate it” and send work to Madigan’s firm if
Madigan could take care of the parcel’s transfer, Madigan allegedly said,
“Okay, alright, very good.”
However, McClain told Solis on Nov. 21, 2018, that a “major
hurdle” had come up in the form of petitions from people in the Chinatown
business community opposed to the transfer. So two days later, Solis allegedly
told Madigan it was best to wait until after the upcoming elections and try to
pass the bill in May 2019. Madigan allegedly agreed.
By May 2019, Solis’ cooperation with the feds was well
known.