A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a former chief of employees to longtime Illinois Home Speaker Michael Madigan of mendacity underneath oath to guard his once-powerful boss
FILE – This Oct. 4, 2007 file picture reveals Tim Mapes, chief of employees to Illinois Home Speaker Madigan on the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ailing. A federal prosecutor has informed jurors that proof would present the previous chief of employees lied to a grand jury to guard his boss. That assertion got here throughout opening statements on the perjury and obstruction of justice trial in Chicago of Tim Mapes. He served for nearly 20 years as Madigan’s chief of employees. (AP Picture/Seth Perlman, File)
The Related Press
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago on Thursday convicted a former chief of employees to longtime Illinois Home Speaker Michael Madigan of mendacity underneath oath to a grand jury to guard his once-powerful boss who’s scheduled to go on trial on a number of corruption expenses.
The 68-year-old Tim Mapes, who served for nearly 20 years because the Democrat’s chief of employees, was convicted of 1 depend of perjury and certainly one of tried obstruction of justice. Obstruction alone carries as much as 20 years in jail, whereas the perjury depend carries as much as 5 years behind bars.
The conviction strikes uncomfortably near residence for the now 81-year-old Madigan who, for many years, was some of the {powerful} state legislative leaders within the nation. Many as soon as thought he was untouchable as a result of he was too sensible, cautious and well-connected.
Then, in 2022, he was indicted on expenses that included racketeering and bribery.
On the Mapes trial, prosecutors informed jurors he lied repeatedly when he testified in 2021 to a grand jury investigating Madigan and others. They mentioned he particularly lied when he mentioned he couldn’t recall any related particulars about Madigan’s ties to Michael McClain, who was a Madigan confidant.
Protection lawyer Katie Hill informed jurors Mapes by no means deliberately misled the grand jury, saying he merely couldn’t keep in mind many particulars. She likened the questions Mapes was requested to a pop quiz at a highschool reunion and requested jurors if they’d be capable to keep in mind the colour of their promenade corsages or who was class president their junior yr.
Jurors deliberated for some 5 hours earlier than returning with verdicts, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Federal jurors in Might convicted 4 defendants of bribery conspiracy involving the state’s largest electrical utility. Prosecutors mentioned McClain, two former ComEd executives and a former utility marketing consultant organized contracts, jobs and cash for Madigan’s associates to make sure proposed payments boosting ComEd income grew to become regulation.
A yr earlier than Madigan was indicted and amid hypothesis that he was a federal goal, Madigan resigned from the Legislature because the longest-serving state Home speaker in fashionable U.S. historical past.
The indictment accused Madigan of reaping the advantages of personal authorized work that was illegally steered to his regulation agency, amongst different issues. He has denied any wrongdoing.
