(The Center Square) – Former Chicago City Council member Danny Solis played a key role in bringing an end to what federal prosecutors characterized as former House Speaker Michael Madigan’s years-long racketeering scheme designed to line his pockets and keep him and other Democratic allies in power.
Solis, who represented Chicago’s 25th ward from 1996 to 2019, began cooperating with federal prosecutors in 2014, according to the 106-page indictment prosecutors filed this week accusing Madigan and confidante Michael McClain, also a former state lawmaker and ComEd lobbyist, of using his elected positions at the Illinois Statehouse and in Illinois politics for personal gain.
Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Solis to the 25th ward in 1996 after his predecessor, Ald. Antonio Medrano, pleaded guilty to corruption charges, according to a Chicago Tribune report from the time. Solis went on to help federal prosecutors build cases against Madigan and Chicago Ald. Edward Burke. Burke has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges in his own case, according to court records.
Prosecutors charged Madigan with 22 counts of corruption, including racketeering. In one of the 22 counts, prosecutors allege Solis agreed to help steer business to Madigan’s personal law firm, Madigan & Getzendanner, which specializes in challenging property tax bills for its clients. In exchange, prosecutors claim “Madigan agreed to assist, in his official capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives, in advising and inducing the Governor of the State of Illinois to appoint Alderman A to a State board that would pay Alderman A compensation of at least approximately $93,926 a year upon Alderman A’s retirement from the City Council.” Prosecutors allege Madigan ordered information on board appointments, terms and compensation be sent to Solis’ office. Solis is referred to as Alderman A throughout the indictment.
“Madigan in return assured Alderman A that he would help him obtain a State board appointment by telling Alderman A, ‘Just leave it in my hands,’ ” according to the indictment.
Madigan agreed to go to then-Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker in December 2018 to recommend Solis be appointed to the state board.
“Madigan explained that he would assist Alderman A in obtaining an appointment to a State board by ‘go[ing] to [the future Governor of the State of Illinois]. That’s what I would do. . . . So you’d come in as [the future Governor’s] recommendation,” according to the indictment.
Pritzker said Thursday he did not remember any conversation in which he was asked to find a position for Solis.
Pritzker also said he met with federal investigators in late February.
“I was asked to be a witness, and they wanted to talk about any interactions, and I was happy to cooperate,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
The governor said he answered all the questions investigators had.
Pritzker also said Thursday he did not have any interactions with Madigan during his time as governor that would have lead him to suspect Madigan was involved in corruption.
Madigan has denied wrongdoing.
“I was never involved in any criminal activity,” Madigan said in a statement Wednesday. “The government is attempting to criminalize a routine constituent service: job recommendations. That is not illegal, and these other charges are equally unfounded.”
