Government rests, defense builds case in ex-IL House Speaker Michael Madigan trial

Michelle Gallardo Image
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Government rests, defense builds case in Madigan trial
The government has rested, and the defense is building its case in ex-Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan's federal corruption trial.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The government formally rested its case against former House Speaker Michael Madigan Wednesday at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, minutes after the jury was seated.

The spotlight now turns to the defense teams of the former speaker and his co-defendant, Michael McClain, whose attorneys are up first.

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The former lobbyist's attorneys called as their first witness a former AT&T executive, whose testimony is believed to have derailed the government's case in a related trial just a few months ago.

Mike Madigan trial live updates: Government rests, defense builds case in ex-speaker trial

"I did not have the feeling that would result in the speaker allowing passage," said Steve Selcke, of a more than $20,000 consulting contract given to Madigan ally, and former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo in 2017, just as the utility company was attempting to pass legislation critical to them.

Acevedo wrapped up his testimony Tuesday.

Selcke's testimony comes three months after the government called him as their star witness in the bribery case of former AT&T President Paul La Schiazza.

His testimony is largely seen to have backfired, and La Schiazza's trial ended with a hung jury.

It took nearly nine weeks of testimony from some 50 witnesses to get to this point, including that of two government moles: former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez and former Alderman Danny Solis.

Both agreed to record dozens of their conversations, over the phone and in-person, with Madigan and McClain, as a way to get out of serving prison time for their own misdeeds, both related and independent of this case.

Neither Madigan nor McClain are expected to take the stand in their own defense.

Both men have pleaded not guilty to the bribery and racketeering charges against them.

They're accused of leading a "criminal enterprise," using the speaker's official position to corruptly solicit and receive personal financial rewards for Madigan and his associates.

After this week, the jury will be off for the holidays, not returning until Jan. 2.

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