Mike Madigan trial updates: Former 'McPier' boss takes stand in ex-Illinois speaker trial

Chicago police Capt. Joe Lullo is testifying Tuesday in the Madigan trial.

Court resumed late due to Election Day.

The government focused on the positions some of the Chicago police precinct captains received while working in the 13th Ward. There were also internship opportunities for their children.

The defense portrayed Madigan as hard-working and taking care of his constituents.

Lullo said he worked 30 years in law enforcement.

He moved into the 13th Ward in 1974 or 1975. He met Madigan in 1989.

Lullo acknowledged that Madigan gave him and his family personal assistance. He agrees that he respected Madigan.

He said Madigan was very experienced, and in favor of working men and women, unions and fair wages.

Lullo said, "No one promised me a job."

He said he was motivated to help the community.

University of Illinois Chicago longtime political science professor and former Alderman Dick Simpson was on the stand Monday afternoon.

ComEd executive Keisha Parker testified earlier Monday.

She testified to helping Mike McClain, who was then an external lobbyist for the utility, to set up campaign fundraisers on behalf of Madigan and the Democratic Party of Illinois.

She also said she was part of setting up a contract for Ed Moody. Moody is one of the five men, all Madigan loyalists, identified by the U.S. Attorney's Office as being hired by ComEd through various subcontractors for little to no-work jobs allegedly worth over $1.3 million.

"I recall there not being enough funds in the government affairs budget," Parker said. "We had to work to secure additional funding, and we got information we would be covering from the CEO's budget."

Tuesday will be a short day, as the jury will be allowed to come in at 11 a.m. to have time to vote.

More wiretapped phone calls were played for the jury, including one in which the former speaker and McClain were heard discussing a plan to help an aide who had recently been fired amid sexual harassment allegations.

The jury on Monday heard evidence that dipped in and out of various issues related to the racketeering indictment against both Madigan and McClain.

A series of wiretapped phone calls were played for the jury, in which they got to hear McClain as he set up a series of back-channel payments for Kevin Quinn, an ousted Madigan aide, who'd been fired months earlier after allegations of sexual harassment.

With the plan in place, a follow-up call was made to Madigan himself. The date was Aug. 29, 2018.

"I've put four or five people together that are willing to contribute to, uh, help. I didn't know if you wanted to mention it to Marty, or you want to stay out of it?" McClain said.

"I think I ought to stay out of it. That's what I think," Madigan said, leaving it to McClain to inform Quinn's brother, then-13th Ward Alderman Marty Quinn, of the plan.

While the effort to help Kevin Quinn financially is not directly part of the corruption allegations against Madigan and McClain, the FBI raided his home 10 months later. Leading the raid was Supervisory Special Agent Prince Prempeh, who testified Monday to retrieving a series of documents that corroborate what was essentially a no-work contract for Quinn.

Former Democratic Party of Illinois campaign worker Alaina Hampton was also expected to take the witness stand Monday, but will likely be pushed to Tuesday.

The public corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain continues Monday as well.

Former Democratic Party of Illinois campaign worker Alaina Hampton is expected to take the witness stand.

Former Madigan staffer Will Cousineau will return to the stand for additional cross-examination Monday morning.