CASE TITLE: United States v. McClain, et al.
CASE NUMBER: 20 CR 812
ACTIVITY: Telephone Conversation between Michael McClain and Michael Madigan
DATE: November 8, 2018
TIME: 4:52 p.m.
SESSION NUMBER: 15204
MCCLAIN: So, Michael, the reason why I called ya, is I want to let ya know I have (unintelligible) Lou Lang and, um, (unintelligible) long discussion (unintelligible) fight it, he just doesn’t like it, right?
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: At, at the end of the day he’s, he said he’d let me know by the end of this coming week.
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: You know, that he said to me, “I think you pretty much know what my answer is.”
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: “Um, let me just get my arms around it. Um, is it okay that I quit at veto session but before, uh, th-, the new session? So that way that my guy can get a little bit of, or gal, can get a little bit of, um, seniority.”
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: And I said, “I’m sure the Speaker’s fine with that.”
MADIGAN: Yes.
MCCLAIN: I, uh, he said, um, “I’d kinda like to do the veto session unless he wants me to leave earlier but I’d kinda like to do the veto session.” I said, “I don’t think he has a problem with that, I just-”
MADIGAN: Yeah.
MCCLAIN: “-(unintelligible) in your best interest you just gotta go.”
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: Um, and, um, I said, “Now, Lou, I’ve not talked to the Speaker. You were caucus chair two years ago when they elected hi, uh, when the caucus elected him the, the vote you did.”
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: Uh, “and he and I’ve never talked about whether or not he intends to name you for that or not name you for that, so.” Uh, and he said, “Well that doesn’t make any difference, uh, if he doesn’t name me and names somebody else, I don’t think anybody will think anything of it.” And I said, “Well, okay, but i-, i-, i-, it could be a little chatter, so I just wanna let ya know that, that, um, that’s, that’s out there and I don’t have any idea what the Speaker’s thinking about there, so.”
MADIGAN: Mike, is this the, uh, person who would chair the, uh, th-, the caucus to select the candidate for Speaker?
MCCLAIN: Yes, sir. (Unintelligible) two years ago you had, Tim and him sitting at the front table.
MADIGAN: Yeah, yeah.
MCCLAIN: And he was the caucus chair, and-
MADIGAN: Yeah.
MCCLAIN: Tim was like the parliamentarian, or-
MADIGAN: Yeah, right. Well, I have to give some thought as to (unintelligible).
MCCLAIN: Right. Eh, and as I, I disclosed to Lou, I’ve, I’ve never had that discussion with you.
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: And so, um, I would doubt, i, I, I said to Lou, this, just my opinion, “I would doubt if he chooses you after he’s removed you from leadership, and, then put you back, I would think that he would move on to somebody else, but I just wanna let you know-”
MADIGAN: Yeah.
MCCLAIN: “-that he and I’ve never discussed it.”
MADIGAN: Well, as we’re talking, um, why not Greg Harris?
MCCLAIN: Yeah. That’s what I would do.
MADIGAN: Yeah.
MCCLAIN: I mean if you’re asking my opinion, that’s what I’d recommend.
MADIGAN: Mhm. Okay. Alright. So, you’re pretty certain that he’s prepared to (unintelligible)-
MCCLAIN: Oh yeah. Yeah. And he said he’s talking to two people about the dark side. I know one of em, Nancy Kimme, of course, I don’t know the other one, and I don’t even know if it’s really true. He may have just said two, um, and, um, then he asked, “Do you think the Speaker would, make, would use me, I mean like, can I be Mike McClain Two?”
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: And I said, “Look it, he’ll use ya, I mean, th-, there are, I mean, he, the Speaker doesn’t use me for everything. (Unintelligible) uses Will for certain things, (unintelligible) for certain things, and-”
MADIGAN: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
MCCLAIN: “So, um, don’t think that I’m exclusive, cause I’m not.”
MADIGAN: Mhm.
MCCLAIN: “Um, but no, he’ll, he’ll ask you when he thinks it’s appropriate and you’d be helpful. He’ll ask ya.”
MADIGAN: Yeah, sure, sure, sure. Oh Mike, as you, as you talk to this guy another consideration. I-, i-, if he could, if he could provide his replacement as a man, that’d be fine.
MCCLAIN: Okay.
MADIGAN: So, um, we can’t have him walking around saying that he selected a man because that was my request, but-
MCCLAIN: Right, right.
MADIGAN: We’re over 50% already.
MCCLAIN: Right. (Laughs.) Yeah, you guys are, uh, it’s really well, it’s well done cause you get ‘em, you get ‘em elected, but then you gotta manage ‘em.
MADIGAN: Yeah, yeah.
MCCLAIN: (Laughs.) Not so easy.
MADIGAN: Right. Okay. Very good.
MCCLAIN: Uh, and he also asked if, if you would, if you would help him get clients. And I said, “Well first of all, I don’t think he’ll need any help,” um, I said, “You’ll get clients. But, um, he, h, the Speaker doesn’t really call people and say ‘please hire Mike McClain or please hire, please hire Will Cousineau.’ He, he’s stayed away from that for years, but, um, do I think that he’ll um alert me to keep an eye out for ya. Yeah, I think he’ll do that.”
MADIGAN: Sure, sure. Yup, mhm. Okay, Mike.
MCCLAIN: Okay, sir.
MADIGAN: Yep, thank you.
MCCLAIN: Take care.
MADIGAN: Talk to ya, buh-bye.
MCCLAIN: Bye.
(END OF CONVERSATION)
