The Latest Breaking News from Michael McClain

The election night deadline for Madigan’s attorneys to file the motions was set in January by U.S. District Judge John Blakey, who presides over the case.

The four were indicted in November 2020 and accused in a nearly decadelong scheme to sway Madigan. They allegedly landed his associates jobs, contracts and money while legislation crucial to ComEd’s bottom line moved through Springfield.

Illinois has paid out millions in pension payments to former legislators who have admitted criminal wrongdoing or are awaiting trial.

The congressman, who is running for mayor of Chicago, is not accused of wrongdoing, and his spokesperson told the Sun-Times on Friday that he “is not involved in any investigation in any manner.”

CHICAGO — Mayoral challenger Jesús “Chuy” Garcia is an unidentified member of Congress referenced in federal court filings detailing an alleged scheme by then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to appoint one of Garcia’s political associates to a lucrative position on Commonwealth Edison’s board of directors, the Chicago Tribune has learned.

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Madigan is accused of leading a “criminal enterprise” for nearly a decade designed to enhance his political power and generate income for his allies and associates. He ended his record-breaking tenure as Illinois’ House speaker amid the burgeoning scandal two years ago.

Michael Acevedo, his brother Alex and their father were indicted separately in February 2021 for alleged tax crimes. The charges resulted from the same investigation that led to this year’s indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan.

CHICAGO — Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan didn’t say a word during his first arraignment on federal racketeering charges in March.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole last week gave Madigan permission to skip the arraignment, held by telephone, after Madigan signed a waiver that said he pleaded not guilty “to each and every charge.”

The hearing came one week after federal prosecutors expanded their case against Michael Madigan and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain, to include an alleged illegal attempt by AT&T Illinois to sway Madigan.