CHICAGO (WLS) --Â Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been indicted on a array of corruption charges.
Federal prosecutors announced the charges in downtown Chicago Wednesday afternoon. The full indictment, obtained by the I-Team, contains a complex list of 22 counts, including for bribery and racketeering, allegedly executed by Madigan and a web of co-conspirators.
The alleged scheme stretches from Chicago to Springfield and connects politicians, lobbyists, business and utility executives and Madigan's law firm. Prosecutors allege Madigan, 79, led a criminal enterprise meant to enhance Madigan's political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his allies and associates for nearly a decade.
Madigan's close friend Michael McClain is named as a co-defendant, and prosecutors allege he carried out criminal activities at Madigan's behest.
The indictment accuses Madigan and McClain and other members the conspiracy of unlawfully soliciting benefits from businesses and other private entities, and accuses Madigan of engaging in multiple schemes to benefit from private legal work unlawfully steered to his law firm.
Madigan and McClain are charged with racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, and wire fraud, prosecutors said. Madigan is additionally charged with attempted extortion.
Madigan released a statement responding to the charges, saying, "I was never involved in any criminal activity. 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."
As part of the scheme, prosecutors allege that Madigan and his conspirators used "coded language in their discussions" and attempted to "reduce law enforcement's ability to intercept their communications" by meeting in person or using third-party cell phones to communicate. Prosecutors say Madigan was often referred to by ComEd officials as "our Friend," or "a Friend of ours" rather than using his name, in an effort to conceal the scheme.
In the indictment, prosecutors allege that ComEd officials arranged jobs for Madigan's political allies where they "performed little or no work" in exchange for Madigan's influence in passing legislation favorable to the utility or defeating legislation that would harm its business.
As part of the conspiracy, prosecutors say internships with ComEd were set aside for people associated with Madigan's home ward, the 13th Ward on the southwest side of Chicago. They alleged that McClain identified candidates for the internships and some didn't meet the minimum academic requirements for the position.
ComEd released a statement, saying, "We are not in a position to comment on charges related to the former Speaker or beyond what is in the statement of facts in ComEd's deferred prosecution agreement, which resolved the U.S. Attorney's Office's investigation into ComEd and Exelon. ComEd has cooperated fully with the investigation, been transparent with customers, and implemented comprehensive ethics and compliance reforms to ensure that the unacceptable conduct outlined in the agreement never happens again."
In the indictment, prosecutors also allege a scheme former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis called a "quid pro quo" where a company seeking approval for an apartment complex's zoning change would provide work to Madigan's law firm. Prosecutors say Madigan told Solis later privately "not to use the phrase quid pro quo" and suggested a false pretext for Solis' to connect the company with Madigan's firm for tax services. Danny Solis' attorney Lisa Noller tells ABC7 "we have no comment at this time."
Some of the alleged conduct made public was already known as part of previous corruption investigations but in the indictment additional schemes emerge. According to prosecutors, Madigan sought to appoint a retiring Chicago alderman to a paid state board position in exchange for business steered to his private law firm.
Another scheme detailed in the indictment involves a development group who wanted to convert a parking lot in Chinatown to a commercial development that would include a hotel. Prosecutors allege Madigan used his position as Speaker of the Illinois House to facilitate the transfer of the property from the state to city ownership in exchange for the steering of legal work to his private firm. Prosecutors write that Madigan and McClain worked to facilitate the land transfer by seeking a legislator who would sponsor the bill and introduce the transfer amendment in the fall 2018 veto session. But, after opposition to the transfer emerged from community members and legislators, prosecutors allege Madigan and McClain abandoned the effort to pass it at that time.
McClain's attorneys released a statement after the charges were announced, saying in part, "For years, the Government has been trying to force Mike McClain to cooperate in its quest against former Speaker Mike Madigan. These latest charges are nothing more than the Government's continued attempt to pressure Mike McClain to do the Government's bidding. Mike McClain was innocent of the charges when they were first filed in November of 2020. He remains innocent of the recycled and new charges in this latest Indictment. He will never testify falsely about himself or anyone, no matter how many indictments are brought against him. We will fight to prove his innocence."
