(The Center Square) – Prosecutors raised the suspense level in the wide-ranging “ComEd 4” corruption trial at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse late Thursday, calling a longtime staffer of former House Speaker Mike Madigan to the stand to weigh in on secretly recorded conversations about operations in Springfield that were captured at a time when an alleged bribery scheme wa in full effect.
Testifying under an immunity agreement, former Democratic Party of Illinois Political Director Will Cousineau told jurors he viewed his rank in the Madigan operation to be just below that of longtime stalwarts such as Madigan confidant Michael McClain, former Madigan chief of staff Tim Mapes and Madigan spokesman Steve Brown.
With the trial now in its second week, Cousineau is the closest person to Madigan that jurors have heard from to this point.
McClain and fellow former ComEd lobbyist John Hooker are now on trial along with former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore and one-time City Club of Chicago chief Jay Doherty in a case where each of them are accused of being central figures in an alleged pay-for-play scheme that doled out contracts and jobs to Madigan and his associates in exchange for the speaker’s favorable position on legislation beneficial to the company’s bottom line.
As part of his hours-long testimony, Cousineau told the court he received an immunity letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office after the arrangement was brokered by his attorneys, Sean Sullivan and Michael Del Galdo.
Madigan is slated to go on trial in early 2024 on a slew of corruption-related charges that include the alleged bribery plot with ComEd. Madigan and the four defendants in the ongoing “ComEd 4” trial have all pleaded not guilty.
At the heart of the “ComEd 4” case is the burning question of whether McClain served as an agent to the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history, passing along Madigan’s demands and keeping subordinates in line by reminding them of the power he wielded.
Prosecutors made a point of playing a Dec. 9, 2018, conversation for jurors, where Madigan openly discussed leadership assignments for the 2019 General Assembly with staffers, at one point boasting “in the case of the majority leader, I view that as my appointment. I have no compunction about saying that to anyone who wants to listen to me.”
In the recording, Madigan said the majority leader plays “a key role in House operations,” adding “every once in a while, the speaker gets to do what he wants to do.”
Though he was never an official member of Madigan’s staff, McClain can also be heard on the Dec. 9 call, at one point suggesting that Madigan strive to seat committees with strong chairs who could withstand political attacks.
“You don’t have to kill a bill or amendment in rules,” McClain said.
