CHICAGO — Telephone giant AT&T Illinois has agreed to pay a $23 million fine as part of a federal criminal investigation into the company’s illegal efforts to influence former House Speaker Michael Madigan, according to court records made public Friday.
Federal prosecutors also unsealed a superseding indictment against Madigan and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain, adding allegations they participated in a scheme to funnel payments from AT&T to a Madigan associate in exchange for the speaker’s influence over legislation the telephone company wanted passed in Springfield.
The new conspiracy allegations against Madigan, which were added to the indictment Friday as Count 23, allege for the first time that a direct vote the speaker made on legislation was tainted by a scheme to influence him. Madigan’s attorney, Sheldon Zenner, had no comment.
