In a rare setback for federal prosecutors in an upcoming public corruption trial, a judge has blocked the testimony of a prominent political science professor who was expected to explain the history of the Chicago political machine to jurors.
U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber ruled that Dick Simpson, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, could not be called to the stand in the trial of four former power players accused of trying to bribe ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to benefit ComEd.
