CHICAGO — Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan didn’t say a word during his first arraignment on federal racketeering charges in March.
This time around, Madigan wasn’t even on the line.
During a perfunctory telephone hearing Tuesday, an attorney for the former Democratic powerhouse entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf to a superseding indictment adding conspiracy allegations involving AT&T Illinois.
Madigan was not required to be on the phone because his attorneys invoked a rarely used procedural rule allowing criminal defendants to waive their right to be present for their arraignment under certain circumstances.
His co-defendant, Michael McClain, also was granted a waiver and had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf by his attorney as well.
The hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole lasted less than three minutes, most of which was taken up by attorneys identifying themselves on the line. The next time Madigan’s case is up in court will be Jan. 9. for a status hearing previously set by the trial judge, U.S. District Judge Robert Blakey.
Since the U.S. attorney’s office first filed racketeering charges against Madigan eight months ago, Madigan, who is free on bond, has not uttered a word in court, by telephone or otherwise, and has yet to even step foot in the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse.
But that could soon change. In December, longtime COVID-19 protocols at the building are set to be lifted, and many judges are expected to begin requiring parties — particularly criminal defendants — to appear in person rather than by phone.
The superseding indictment announced Oct. 14 accused Madigan and McClain, his longtime confidant, of conspiring with executives and lobbyists at AT&T Illinois to funnel payments to a Madigan associate in exchange for the speaker’s help passing controversial legislation to end landline service for the company’s 1.2 million customers.
The telephone giant has agreed to pay a $23 million fine as part of a deferred prosecution deal with prosecutors that would see the charges against the company dropped after two years.
Also charged as part of the investigation was Paul La Schiazza, former president of AT&T Illinois, who was accused of orchestrating and approving the payments. He pleaded not guilty.
Madigan, 80, and McClain, 75, were charged in March in the original 22-count indictment alleging they conspired to participate in an array of bribery and extortion schemes from 2011 to 2019 that allegedly leveraged Madigan’s elected office and political power for personal gain.
The indictment also accused Madigan of illegally soliciting business for his private property tax law firm during discussions to turn a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development.
Both Madigan and McClain have denied any wrongdoing. Their attorneys have accused prosecutors of trying to criminalize legal political actions such as job recommendations in a quest to bring down the once-powerful speaker.
____
