Some lawmakers want Coloradans to pay hundreds more in fees to fund health insurance for non-citizens
A bill at the Colorado State Capitol would double a fee assessed on state-regulated health insurance plans, with most of the money going to a program that helps non-citizens afford health insurance. The program, OmniSalud, receives about $18 million a year in fees now to help about 12,000 non-citizens.
Under House Bill 1297, the funding would jump to nearly $75 million.
CBS
"No fee is free, right?" says Kevin McFatridge, CEO of the Colorado Association of Health Plans. "Someone has to pay for those fees, and unfortunately, it's going to go to Colorado families."
He says the bill would cost a family of four up to $100 more in fees each month, or $1,200 per year.
The legislation also allocates $19 million to cover subsidies to offset insurance for low-income Coloradans, $12 million for reproductive and gender affirming care, and $6.5 million for an existing state enterprise to administer the program, which is double what it receives now.
While OmniSalud would see a $56 million increase under the measure, a program that has helped reduce premiums 20%-40% for Colorado families would receive $12 million less in fee revenue. The Reinsurance program receives about $87 million now. It would receive $75 million - the same as OmniSalud - under the bill.
"We want to be a society that has a heart but, when you have the citizens and taxpayers here that are suffering and we're not taking care of them but, we're going to help take care of somebody who came here illegally, I have a problem with that," says Representative Anthony Hartsook, a republican from Parker who opposes the bill.
CBS
Democratic Representative Kyle Brown, who's sponsoring the measure, says it's aimed at offsetting cuts in federal funding.
If it fails, he says, rates will jump by up to $6-thousand a year for a family of four, "It's important that we are providing health care for folks regardless of their documentation, regardless of whether they are citizens, because they end up in the emergency room too... and we all end up paying for it one way or another."
The bill is stalled in the House Finance Committee with less than two weeks left in the legislative session. Supporters are considering an amendment to give Reinsurance more of the fee revenue.
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USA Today
25 minutes ago
- USA Today
Marines in LA, response to Ukraine: Recap of Hegseth hearings
Marines in LA, response to Ukraine: Recap of Hegseth hearings Hegseth may also face questions this week about the costly military parade set for June 14 in Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing questions from Congress for the first time since he took over at the Pentagon. The Capitol Hill hearings, beginning on June 10, began with clashes with Democratic lawmakers and confrontations over his war on DEI, the recent deployment of troops to Los Angeles protests and the Trump administration's response to the war in Ukraine. More: Amid LA deployment, Hegseth falsely attacks Tim Walz over 2020 George Floyd riots Defense Secretary Hegseth grilled by Congress over LA protests A House subcommittee grilled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Marines and National Guard being sent to Los Angeles. More: Not that Benning: Hegseth renames Fort Moore, but not for Confederate general, he says Hegseth, a former Fox News host, last faced down Senators during his confirmation hearing in January, when senators on the Armed Services Committee grilled him over reports of his heavy drinking and a sexual assault allegation and his views that women should not serve in combat roles. After nearly six months of Hegseth running the Pentagon, lawmakers have more fodder for questions, including Hegseth's overturning of military diversity initiatives and firing of high-ranking women, his use of Signal to message Yemen attack plans, and the announcement a day earlier that 700 Marines were deployed to Los Angeles to quell protests over deportations. Hegseth testified alongside Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His first hearing, at the House Appropriations Committee, is a budget hearing, but sparks flew, prompted in part by the administration's actions in recent weeks. More: Trump's getting his military parade. Here's what they look like from France to Russia Here's a rundown of what went on at the hearing. Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar sparred with Hegseth about the National Guard troops who have deployed to Los Angeles, saying the troops "have not been provided food or water" by the Defense Department. Calling Aguilar's questions a "disingenuous attack," Hegseth shot back, saying, "We are assured they're housed, fed, water capabilities in real time from my office." He said the troops would stay at least 60 days to "ensure that those rioters, looters and thugs on the other side assaulting our police officers know that we're not going anywhere." Pressed by Aguilar about what authority allowed the Trump administration to send the troops to Los Angeles, Hegseth deflected. "If you've got millions of illegals, you don't know where they're coming from, they're waving flags from foreign countries and assaulting police officers and law enforcement officers – that's the problem," he said. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom "has failed to protect his people," Hegseth said. A question about new restrictions on the use of pronouns and gender identifiers in the military prompted a swift retort from the Defense secretary. "Men are men, women are women" in the military. and people signing up won't get a "woke indoctrination," Hegseth said. He said if they want that, they can go to college. The comments came in response to a question from Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who said it was "not a priority" for people enlisting in the military to use their preferred pronouns. Hegseth said the United States was entering a new "phase" in which the National Guard would "become a critical component of how we secure that homeland." "The National Guard is a huge component of how we see the future," he said. Hegseth has deployed thousands of troops to Los Angeles in recent days to suppress protests against the Trump administration's deportations. He has faced criticism from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats who have said the troops are adding fuel to the fire and are not being put to good use. Responding to an accusation from Rep. Ed Case, a Democrat from Hawaii, that the Trump administration "has illegally sought to destroy" the United States Agency for International Development, Hegseth he had not heard any complaints from other countries over the elimination of the agency and U.S. foreign aid programs because "a lot of them were wasteful and duplicative." "I hear nothing about that because they're not serving U.S. interests." "I don't think you're talking to the right people," Case said. Pressed by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat representing Ohio, about what he is doing to "not turn your back" on Ukraine, Hegseth said his goal was to achieve peace. He said he would need to "clarify what win means" in the war in Ukraine. "Have you visited Ukraine?" Kaptur hit back. Hegseth said he had not. Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, pressed Hegseth over the military's recent deployment of troops in response to protests over ICE arrests in Los Angeles. "This is a deeply unfair position to put our Marines in," she said of the Pentagon's deployment of 700 Marines to the region a day prior. Hegseth invoked the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, saying Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz "abandoned a police precinct and allowed it to be burned to the ground." "President Trump recognizes a situation like that, improperly handled by a governor, like it was by Governor Walz... If it gets out of control, it's a bad situation for the citizens of any location." Hegseth said he and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine plan to discuss Ukraine's drone attack on Russia and how the United States can avoid a similar attack. Hegseth said the Pentagon would consider increasing counter-drone systems and that "golden dome" – the Trump administration's multi-billion-dollar missile defense plan – would contribute. "I do think it was a bold move, and it represents a new and different way of fighting wars," Caine said. Hegseth said eliminating an office that tests new technologies was a "reflection of the overall approach we take in the department, which is, 'How efficiently do we operate?'" Hegseth said after a review he led along with "our friends at DOGE" - Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, the office was eliminated. The office was "bloated and expanded well beyond" its appropriate scope, he said. In his opening statement, the Defense secretary stayed within the lines of his stated mission of "restoring the warrior ethos." "DEI is dead," he said, nodding to the diversity initiatives he has wiped out at the Pentagon. "We must overcome decades of neglect and decline," he said. "We must fortify our position as the world's most lethal fighting force, and we must act fast." (This story was updated to include video.)
Politico
41 minutes ago
- Politico
Newsom finds his resistance voice
Presented by Californians for Energy Independence DRIVING THE DAY — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass imposed a curfew in her city's downtown last night in an attempt to prevent looting and vandalism as immigration protests stretched into their fifth day. Later, Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed the state, accusing President Donald Trump of intentionally inflaming the situation in Southern California and issuing an ominous warning. 'Democracy is under assault right before our eyes,' Newsom said. 'The moment we've feared has arrived.' IN HIS ELEMENT — Newsom wobbled finding his political footing in the initial months of Donald Trump's second term, but leading the Democratic resistance to the president's use of executive powers has put him squarely back in his element. Newsom has emerged as the national face of Democratic opposition to the president in recent days — as California fights Trump's unilateral deployment of the military and National Guard to quell civil unrest in Los Angeles following immigration raids. As our colleagues Jeremy B. White and Melanie Mason report, the California governor had faded from the forefront of national politics as attention shifted to Washington and politics in his home state was embroiled in questions over Kamala Harris' political future. The governor also faced chilling relations with Democratic lawmakers in Sacramento over his pivot to the center on issues like transgender girls in sports and scaling back health insurance for undocumented immigrants. Trump and Republicans have made Newsom the target of their ire as they accuse Democrats of being unable to stop turmoil that has led to burning cars and violence in a handful of areas in downtown Los Angeles — a focus that has, in turn, elevated Newsom's status on the left as he eyes a potential presidential run in 2028. 'I think this is helping Trump broadly,' said Mike Madrid, a California-based Republican consultant who opposes Trump. 'I also think it'll help Gavin — especially if he gets arrested.' Newsom has embraced the role of chief antagonist in his standoff with the Trump administration, which he's framed as an existential battle over the balance of power in America. Newsom accuses Trump of marching toward authoritarianism as he threatens to arrest Newsom and inciting conflict by deploying troops. Even California Democrats who've been critical of Newsom in recent months have cheered his feisty rhetoric and his willingness to push back on the White House. 'We've been waiting to feel like the governor is standing up and fighting for California and every Californian, and he seems to be doing that,' Lorena Gonzalez, head of the state Labor Federation, told Jeremy. Newsom has personalized the conflict by daring the administration to follow through on a threat by Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan, to arrest him — a sitting governor from the opposite political party. The Democratic Party's official social media account posted a glam shot of a stoic-looking Newsom emblazoned with his 'come and get me' quote. He's also suing to try to end the deployment of Marines and Trump's commandeering of thousands of the state's National Guard troops. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, the younger brother of retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, denied the state's request for an immediate injunction, though a hearing is set for Thursday. Newsom has a history of seizing on moments that he sees as moral inflection points. During the first Trump administration, he relished leading California's resistance to his administration on climate policy. And as the former mayor of San Francisco, Newsom defied state and federal law when he began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004. 'Resistance for the sake of performative politics is not something he cares to participate in,' said Brian Brokaw, a veteran Democratic consultant and Newsom adviser. 'But this is a very real moment. He has to draw a line somewhere.' Read more about how Newsom is navigating the crisis in Jeremy and Melanie's piece. GOOD MORNING. It's Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? In Los Angeles, coordinating the state's response to the maelstrom. TRANSPORTATION FIRST IN POLITICO: SMOG ALERT — Trump plans to sign a trio of resolutions Thursday to revoke California's nation-leading vehicle emissions standards, our colleague Alex Nieves scooped. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ( author of a resolution to nix the state's electric vehicle sales mandate via the Congressional Review Act, and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) confirmed that the White House has scheduled the signings at 11 a.m. Thursday. The move will cap a monthslong effort to eliminate California's authority to set stricter-than-national electrification rules for passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. ON THE HILL SENATE QUERY — California Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla pressed the Trump administration in a letter Tuesday to explain the legal basis for its deployment of Marines to Los Angeles and argued the decision was unnecessary. They asked for a response within 48 hours. 'A decision to deploy active-duty military personnel within the United States should only be undertaken during the most extreme circumstances, and these are not them,' the senators wrote. OUT ON A LIMB — Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette Clarke of New York went further, saying the military deployment is an impeachable offense, our Nicholas Wu reported. 'I definitely believe it is. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it,' Clarke said at a news conference Tuesday. NOT FOLLOWING — California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu was asked by CNN whether he agreed. He didn't say but warned of broader implications. 'You don't want all 50 states subject to Marines showing up in their local jurisdictions. That's authoritarian. It's un-American, and it would be illegal,' Lieu said. CHANGE OF GUARD — Some Hill Republicans who supported the National Guard's deployment drew the line at sending out active-duty Marines, marking a subtle split with Trump. 'I would draw a distinction between the use of the National Guard and the use of the Marines,' Republican Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters at the Capitol. 'Active duty forces are generally not to be involved in domestic law enforcement operations.' FRONT-LINER APPROACH — Republican Rep. Young Kim of California led a resolution pushing California leaders to work with the federal government to end what it called 'riots.' But she also told CNN she didn't think the Marine Corps deployment was necessary. 'We don't need any more chaos,' she said. 'I do not think that we need to get to the Marines.' THE THING ABOUT TRUMP AND THE MILITARY — Trump loves displays of military force and is parading two very different kinds this week, our colleagues Megan Messerly, Jack Detsch and Paul McLeary write. On one coast, military forces are arriving by the thousands to defend federal buildings and agents, facing off with civilians protesting the president's immigration agenda. On the other, they're readying a celebration of American military might in a parade held on the Army's — and Trump's — birthday. The scenes in Los Angeles and Washington underscore how Trump is leveraging his role as commander-in-chief in a much clearer and more urgent way than he did during his first term — embodying the image of a strong military commander that he has long admired in other foreign leaders, allies and adversaries alike. Read the full story here. INSIDE TRUMP'S THINKING — Trump's response to the protests isn't just an opportunity to battle with a Democratic governor over his signature issue. The president sees it as a chance to redo his first-term response to a wave of civil unrest, our Myah Ward writes. As protests broke out after the killing of George Floyd in 2020, Trump's instincts were to deploy thousands of active-duty troops across U.S. cities. But some administration officials resisted the idea and reportedly urged the president against invoking the Insurrection Act to do so. Five years later, Trump sees something familiar as protests rage across Los Angeles in response to the administration's immigration raids. He responded with the deployments and repeatedly signaled his willingness to invoke the Insurrection Act if protests continue to escalate. There's a chief motivating factor driving his aggressive response: The president is eager to avoid a repeat of the summer of protest that followed a Minneapolis police officer's killing of Floyd. Read the full story here. STATE CAPITOL NOT TOO SPECIAL — California is not the only state bracing for a special session to address budget problems depending on the fate of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Connecticut, New York, New Mexico and Minnesota are among the other Democratic states weighing the need to call lawmakers back, as our colleague Jordan Wolman writes for The Fifty. While Democratic governors may not be able to stop Trump's agenda, they may use the special session threat as a way to mollify constituents upset over cuts to safety net programs. In California, legislative leaders have acknowledged the possibility of having to deal with new budget realities brought by federal cuts, and Democratic lawmakers such as Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens are willing to 'come back any day … if it means protecting some of these programs.' But Republicans could also put the blame on the majority party for overspending to begin with. 'I would say that our priorities have been on the goofy side,' said Republican Assemblymember Tom Lackey. 'We're trying to offer too much to too many people when we can't even offer basic services.' — Eric He CLIMATE AND ENERGY MAKING LIMÓNADE — Senate Democrats elevated one of their biggest environmental champions when they picked Sen. Monique Limón as their next chamber leader. On Tuesday, she signaled a willingness to follow a consensus even if it strays from her progressive leanings. Read last night's California Climate for more on her EJ roots as well as the upcoming tests of her newfound influence. TOP TALKERS MAHAN'S MASTER PLAN — The San Jose City Council approved Mayor Matt Mahan's Responsibility to Shelter proposal Tuesday, The Mercury News reports. The ordinance allows police to arrest homeless people who repeatedly refuse shelter and comes as the city plans to increase its shelter capacity by more than 1,400 beds this year. 'San Jose residents have shown tremendous compassion, but they've also entrusted us with millions of their hard-earned tax dollars. They deserve to see the results,' said Vice Mayor Pam Foley. GUARD ASSIGNMENT — National Guard troops are now protecting ICE agents as they make arrests in Los Angeles, the Associated Press reports. ICE says the troops were 'providing perimeter and personnel protection for our facilities and officers who are out on daily enforcement operations.' AROUND THE STATE — Manny's, a popular cafe and political watering hole in San Francisco, was vandalized with antisemitic slurs during a protest in the Mission District. (San Francisco Chronicle) — A brush fire reported Tuesday afternoon prompted evacuations in Burbank. The Bethany fire primarily affected neighborhoods at the base of the foothills. (Los Angeles Times) — Fresno County provided $2.7 million to Community Health System at the same time the embattled provider is accused of participating in a kickback scheme to reward doctors for referrals. (GV Wire) Compiled by Nicole Norman PLAYBOOKERS BIRTHDAYS — actor Shia LaBeouf … Peter Dinklage … WNBA star Diana Taurasi WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Michael Madigan, ComEd and corruption: How the investigation into the ex-Illinois Speaker unfolded
A federal jury convicted Michael Madigan on Feb. 12, 2025, of multiple federal charges including bribery conspiracy — but jurors deadlocked on other charges in the wide-ranging indictment, including the marquee racketeering conspiracy count. Madigan was first outed as 'Public Official A' in court records in a deferred prosecution agreement filed in July 2020 where the public utility Commonwealth Edison acknowledged it had showered the speaker with various rewards in exchange for his assistance with its legislative agenda in Springfield. Among the perks were do-nothing jobs for Madigan's top political cronies, college internships for students in his 13th Ward power base, legal business for political allies and the appointment of his choice for the state-regulated utility's board of directors, according to the allegations. The Dishonor Roll: Meet the public officials who helped build Illinois' culture of corruptionHe resigned from the Illinois house and also resigned as chairman of the state Democratic Party in February 2021, after spending 36 years as House speaker and a half-century in the Illinois House. The embattled 79-year-old lawmaker released a lengthy statement on Feb. 18, 2021. Madigan was indicted twice in 2022 on charges tied to the ComEd conspiracy as well as similar allegations involving AT&T. He's also charged with trying to pressure developers in Chinatown to steer business to his private law firm. He pleaded not guilty. What's publicly known about federal efforts related to the now former speaker's political operation stretches back to at least May 2019. Subpoenas or raids have touched lobbyists, legislators, private companies and members of Madigan's political operation. Here's what to know. Born: April 19, 1942, in Chicago Early life: Attended St. Adrian's Elementary School 1960: St. Ignatius College Prep 1964: Notre Dame, B.A., Economics 1967: Loyola University Law School After law school: Held patronage jobs as a hearing officer for the Illinois Commerce Commission and as a public utilities consultant for the city, according to a 1988 Tribune story. 1969: Elected as a delegate to the Illinois constitutional convention. Also elected a Democratic committeeman. 1970: Elected to the Illinois House for his district on the city's Southwest Side. 1977: Entered House Democratic leadership. 1983: Elected speaker of the House, holding the post continuously through January except for two years in the mid-1990s when Republicans gained control of the chamber. He was ousted from the position in January 2021. 1998: Elected chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party. He stepped down in February 2021. Family: Married to Shirley Madigan, has three daughters, one son and four grandchildren. His daughter Lisa Madigan was Illinois attorney general from 2003 to 2019. Work: An attorney, Madigan is a partner at Madigan & Getzendanner, a firm that works in Chicago's lucrative field of commercial property tax appeals. Sources: Illinois General Assembly, Northern Illinois University Libraries, Notre Dame, Loyola University, Chicago Tribune archives The feds raid the Far South Side home of former 13th Ward political operative Kevin Quinn — the brother of Ald. Marty Quinn — who was ousted by Madigan amid a sexual harassment scandal in 2018. Quinn received checks from current and former ComEd lobbyists. The FBI raids the downstate home of Mike McClain, a longtime ComEd lobbyist who is widely known as one of Madigan's closest confidants. The Tribune exclusively reported in November that the FBI had tapped McClain's cellphone. The FBI raids the Southwest Side residence of former Ald. Michael Zalewski, who at the time was working with Madigan to get lobbying work from ComEd. Feds raid the City Club of Chicago offices in the Wrigley building seeking records pertaining to club President Jay Doherty, a longtime ComEd lobbyist. ComEd reveals in a regulatory filing that it was subpoenaed by a federal grand jury investigating the utility's lobbying practices. Records obtained by the Tribune reveal that checks went to Kevin Quinn after he was dismissed from Madigan's political operation in early 2018. Federal agents raid the Springfield and Cicero offices and the Southwest Side home of the longtime Democratic state senator as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. ComEd reveals in another regulatory filing it received a second federal grand jury subpoena related to its lobbying practices, this time specifically requesting any communications with Sandoval and other unnamed individuals and entities. Anne Pramaggiore, CEO of ComEd parent company Exelon Utilities, abruptly steps down after it was revealed the utility's lobbying practices were under criminal investigation. 'I'm not a target of anything,' Madigan tells reporters at the Illinois Capitol. In a statement, he called for a review and strengthening of ethics and lobbying laws. Federal authorities recorded Madigan confidant McClain's phone calls as part of the investigation into ComEd's lobbying practices, sources tell the Chicago Tribune. One of the sources said the recordings were made as a result of an FBI wiretap on McClain's cellphone. Federal authorities have asked questions about Madigan and his political operation as part of an ongoing investigation about connections between Commonwealth Edison lobbyists and Madigan, lobbyists giving contracts to people tied to the speaker, and city, state and suburban government jobs held by his associates, four people who have been interviewed tell the Tribune. A pair of federal grand jury subpoenas seeking records from southwest suburban Merrionette Park and Bridgeview name Madigan, his former chief of staff Timothy Mapes, McClain, Marty Quinn and Kevin Quinn. The documents also called for copies of state and federal tax records related to Raymond Nice, a longtime precinct captain in Madigan's vaunted 13th Ward operation. Madigan's main campaign fund paid nearly $462,000 in legal fees in the first three months of 2020 to a law firm that employs former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, campaign finance records show. In the final quarter of 2019, Madigan's campaign fund paid more than $445,000 for legal fees to different firms, which a Madigan spokeswoman at the time said was to cover the cost of a $275,000 settlement with a former campaign worker, as well as ongoing civil cases and routine staff training. ComEd is paying a $200 million criminal fine as part of a federal investigation into a 'yearslong bribery scheme' involving jobs, contracts and payments to Madigan allies, the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago announces. Additionally, prosecutors asked Madigan's office for 'any and all documents and communications' concerning AT&T, including contracts and correspondence related to the hiring of anyone to provide consulting or lobbying services to the public utility, according to a subpoena the Tribune obtained through an open records request. The Tribune reports that AT&T was subpoenaed earlier that year by federal prosecutors in the operation encircling Madigan's political operation. A federal subpoena to Madigan's office shows investigators were interested in a wide range of information, including dealings with Walgreens and Rush University Medical Center, records related to Madigan's political organization and private property tax appeals law firm, as well as former state lawmakers and current or former Chicago aldermen. McClain is charged with bribery conspiracy and bribery in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury. Also charged are former ComEd CEO Pramaggiore; lobbyist and former ComEd executive John Hooker, of Chicago; and Doherty, a consultant and former head of the City Club of Chicago. The embattled Illinois House Speaker releases a statement saying that if anyone at ComEd had tried to bribe him, 'it was never made known to me.' McClain, Pramaggiore, Hooker and Doherty plead not guilty to charges they orchestrated an elaborate bribery scheme with Commonwealth Edison to funnel money and do-nothing jobs to Madigan loyalists in exchange for the speaker's help with state legislation. Emanuel 'Chris' Welch is elected the state's first Black speaker of the House after Democrats reject Madigan's bid to maintain the single-handed power he wielded over the state for nearly four decades. Madigan announces his resignation from the Illinois House after representing a Southwest Side district for a half-century, the majority of that time as the powerful speaker, but remains chairman of the state Democratic Party. Edward Guerra Kodatt, 26, a bilingual outreach and budget assistant in the constituent services office run by Madigan and 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn, is installed in the Illinois House seat that was vacated by Madigan. Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough, previously party vice chair, takes over on an interim basis. Despite the ill-fated Kodatt pick, Madigan gets another shot at appointing a replacement. The former speaker remains the 13th Ward Democratic committeeman and holds 56% of the weighted vote cast in the 22nd House District. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar becomes the second replacement in four days for the Illinois House seat formerly held by Madigan. The charges allege Acevedo attempted to evade paying taxes he owed, including by depositing cash payments into his bank account to conceal the source of income. He was also charged with four misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return from 2015 to 2018. Acevedo faces up to five years in prison on the most serious counts. The former longtime chief of staff to Madigan is indicted on charges of lying to a federal grand jury investigating allegations that Commonwealth Edison paid bribes in exchange for Madigan's assistance pushing though legislation in Springfield. He pleads not guilty two days later. An outgrowth of a case that arose from the ComEd bribes-for-favors scandal, Collins is charged with falsely claiming $31,830 in travel expenses on her tax returns. Collins, who previously lobbied for ComEd, was hit with the new charge of filing a false tax return for the calendar year 2018 in a superseding indictment filed May 26, 2021 that added the allegations to a broader tax case. She pleads not guilty. The Tribune learns among their discussions was a plan to turn a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development. Though the land deal never was consummated, it's been a source of continued interest for federal investigators, who last year subpoenaed Madigan's office for records and communications he'd had with key players. At least one of them recently appeared before the grand jury investigating Madigan's political operation, sources tell the Tribune. Text messages, obtained by the Tribune through an open records request, show Dougherty repeatedly tried to downplay his role in the ComEd probe to the mayor in 2020 even after federal agents raided the City Club's offices in the Wrigley Building in the spring of 2019. Acevedo, enters his plea to one count of tax evasion during a hearing via videoconference before U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly. The plea scuttles a jury trial that had been set for Jan. 10, 2022. The most remarkable thing about the Commonwealth Edison bribery probe in 2021 might be what didn't happen. The indictment is returned by a federal grand jury after a more than two-year investigation, according to federal prosecutors. Among the alleged schemes outlined in the indictment was a plan by utility giant Commonwealth Edison to pay thousands of dollars to lobbyists favored by Madigan in order to win his influence over legislation the company wanted passed in Springfield. A week after he was charged in a bombshell corruption indictment, Madigan, is arraigned in a telephone hearing in U.S. District Court on allegations he ran his elected office and political operation as a criminal enterprise that provided personal financial rewards for him and his associates. Acevedo's attorneys had asked for a term of probation, but U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly says his background as a former elected official and a Chicago police officer meant that people were paying attention, and a sentence of probation would seem like 'this person got a pass.' The revelation undermines the storyline Madigan put out when the Tribune first revealed his longtime confidant McClain had lined up friendly utility lobbyists to pay Kevin Quinn thousands of dollars despite his abrupt departure. Mapes, the former chief of staff to Madigan, walks into the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse for a status hearing on charges he lied to a federal grand jury investigating the alleged ComEd scheme. He was the first of six people who have been charged as part of the ComEd bribery scandal to set foot in a federal courtroom. AT&T agrees to pay a $23 million fine as part of a federal criminal investigation into the company's illegal efforts to influence Madigan. Federal prosecutors also unseal a superseding indictment against Madigan and his longtime confidant McClain, adding allegations about the AT&T Illinois scheme. The Tribune learns that Cullen, a lobbyist who played political point man for years on Madigan's government staff, has testified before the ongoing federal grand jury looking into broad aspects of Madigan's political world, which prosecutors allege included a criminal enterprise aimed at providing personal financial rewards for Madigan and his associates. The date for the six- to seven-week trial is set during a 10-minute telephone status hearing between U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey and attorneys in the case. Neither Madigan nor his co-defendant McClain were required to be on the call. After about seven hours of questioning potential jurors in the hot-button case, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber wrapped for the day about 5 p.m., with a pool of just over 60 members of the panel told to come back to court for another round. Madigan's photo became a focal point as the high-profile 'ComEd Four' trial started in earnest at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, where federal prosecutors said in opening statements that the long-serving Democratic boss benefited personally and politically from a scheme by the utility giant to funnel payments and jobs to Madigan's associates. In return, prosecutors, say, the powerful speaker used his position to push or block legislation worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the utility. Found guilty of bribery conspiracy are: Former ComEd contract lobbyist Michael McClain, a longtime Madigan confidant; former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore; ex-ComEd executive John Hooker, and Jay Doherty, who worked as a lobbyist for ComEd for 30 years and served as president of the City Club of Chicago civic forum. In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge John Kness said he struggled at a fundamental level to understand how Mapes found himself in this position. 'This is a very sad case to me because I don't understand why you did what you did,' Kness said. 'You were immunized in the grand jury and all you had to do was go in there and tell the truth.' Kness likened it to the mafia concept of 'omerta,' the concept 'that you don't rat on your friends.' A federal jury convicted Madigan of multiple federal charges including bribery conspiracy — but jurors deadlocked on other charges in the wide-ranging indictment, including the marquee racketeering conspiracy count. The panel also deadlocked on all six counts against Madigan co-defendant Michael McClain. Sources: Court documents, news reports and Chicago Tribune reporting
