Trial expected to last months
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The corruption trial for former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has begun.
Madigan had been indicted on federal racketeering and bribery charges as a part of what federal prosecutors call "the Madigan enterprise," where they say he allegedly committed crimes for his personal gain and that of his political allies.
The blockbuster trial is expected to take several months.
Check back with ABC7 Chicago for live updates.
Madigan's attorneys are cross-examining Fidel Marquez Wednesday.
"You agreed to wear wires on your ComEd family?" one attorney asked.
Marquez said, "yes."
"So you agreed to wear a wire, against your four friends, and you're telling us the FBI didn't give you any inducement to set them up?" the attorney asked.
"I got a sense that this was not good," Marquez said.
Mike McClain's team wrapped up their cross-examination of Fidel Marquez Wednesday.
It's Marquez's fifth day on the stand.
Mike Madigan's team will start their cross-examination next.
The defense has been trying to challenge Marquez's credibility as a witness.
They said he wore a wire to get himself out of trouble, hid money from his wife during divorce proceedings and lied on a gun purchase form in Arizona this past month, saying he hadn't been convicted of a felony.
Former Alderman Daniel Solis is expected to testify soon, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The assistant U.S. attorney said Solis is expected next week.
Defense attorneys were working to dismantle damning testimony from an ex-ComEd exec Tuesday.
Through dozens of emails, phone calls and even undercover in-person meetings, Fidel Marquez has helped prosecutors paint a portrait of what appeared at times to be a non-stop stream of jobs that for years flowed from the utility giant to Madigan's allies, whether qualified or not.
ComEd lobbyist and Madigan confidant McClain was the ever-present intermediary who would transmit the requests. By 2019, those requests were costing the company over $2 million a year.
"You are not saying it was to trade jobs at ComEd for Madigan taking action on ComEd legislation?" Cotter asked.
"Looking on it favorably to my mind is an action," Marquez said.
"These are all favors you do to build the relationship, right?" Cotter asked.
Marquez said, "yes."
But, even as the defense tries to convince the jury that McClain was not requesting bribes for Madigan but simply doing his job as a lobbyist, they will also be hoping to make them forget wiretapped conversations like this 2018 call between McClain and Madigan's son, Andrew.
"Right, I just love these people that, they are in a regulatory body, right? And they're offended if people ask for favors. Hello? Dumb (expletive)," one was heard saying.
Marquez was still being cross-examined when the court adjourned Tuesday.
He will return for his fifth day of testimony Wednesday.
