mike madigan

Government expected to rest case against ex-IL House Speaker Michael Madigan in trial Wednesday

Tuesday, December 17, 2024 10:35PM

Government expected to rest case against Madigan Wednesday

The government is expected to rest its case against ex-Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan in a federal corruption trial Wednesday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The government is expected to rest its case against former House Speaker Michael Madigan Wednesday at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse.

Prosecutors all but rested their case Tuesday, after 38 days of testimony over eight and a half weeks.

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But, the trial is far from over, with prosecutors expected to formally rest Wednesday.

Former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo resumed his testimony Tuesday.

He initially took the stand as a witness Monday afternoon.

It was a short but rocky exchange, characterized by Acevedo frequently claiming not to remember when asked questions regarding the work he had or hadn't done for AT&T in 2017, when the utility company was paying him $2,500 a month under a consulting contract.

Mike Madigan trial live updates: Former state Rep. Acevedo to testify in ex-speaker trial

"I never asked anybody for a no-show job," said Acevedo, who previously stated he asked Madigan for help getting business after leaving the General Assembly.

Acevedo blamed his memory issues on a 2022 dementia diagnosis, but remembered enough to insist he gave oral reports to AT&T contract lobbyist Michael Lieteau. Those statements were promptly contradicted by Lieteau himself, who on the stand said Acevedo had a poor reputation in Springfield.

"I think he occasionally drank too much. There were occasions when he fell off a bar stool or insulted people," Lieteau said.

Acevedo's testimony was further impeached by FBI agent Kyle Scherrer, who was present during an interview with Acevedo in 2019.

Scherrer said Acevedo told prosecutors he never did, nor was assigned, any work by either AT&T or ComEd during his employment with them.

A political ally of then-Speaker Madigan, Acevedo was a reluctant witness, who fought and failed to squash the subpoena issued to compel his testimony.

Acevedo served six months in prison for tax evasion in 2022, and is being given immunity in exchange for his testimony.

Madigan is accused of corruptly soliciting jobs for his political allies, with co-defendant Mike McClain as his intermediary.

After the government rests its case, Madigan's and McClain's defense teams will have their turns.

McClain's defense team is to be first up.

It's unclear how much of a defense either man will present, with neither Madigan nor McClain expected to take the stand in their own defense.

Madigan and co-defendant McClain face bribery and racketeering charges.