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Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Seeking stiff sentence for Madigan, feds allege secret effort to block rules on legislators practicing before state tax board
A parade of witnesses in Michael Madigan's recent corruption trial — including Madigan himself — insisted there were airtight protocols in place to avoid any potential conflicts of interest between the powerful Democratic House speaker's public duties and his private job as a property tax attorney. But in asking a federal judge to sentence Madigan to 12 1/2 years in prison, prosecutors wrote in a lengthy court filing Friday that in reality he was working behind the scenes to exert his unmatched political powers to help his own bottom line. To boost their point, prosecutors described an alleged episode of backroom political intrigue that was not presented to the jury at trial: The 2018 derailment of a proposal by Gov. Bruce Rauner that directly threatened to reduce profits at Madigan's law firm. It centered on an executive order that Rauner, a Republican and arch political nemesis of Madigan's, issued in January 2018 prohibiting state legislators and other officials from practicing before the Property Tax Appeal Board — a quasi-judicial body providing taxpayers a state forum to contest a property's assessment. In late 2018, the proposed amendment was pending before the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, bipartisan committee that reviews rules promulgated by various state agencies that governors oversee. On Nov. 6, 2018, the day that Rauner lost his reelection campaign to JB Pritzker, Madigan told his longtime confidant, retired lobbyist Michael McClain, in a wiretapped phone call that the amendment was scheduled for hearing at JCAR's meeting the next week. Madigan suggested that McClain send lobbyist John Bradley, a Madigan loyalist and former ranking House Democratic lawmaker, to warn the property tax board chairman that ''there's gonna be a lawsuit and there's gonna be depositions,'' according to the filing. ''And you're gonna be asked, 'Did you take directives from the governor's office, which is contrary to how the statute reads,' the filing quoted Madigan as saying how Bradley should approach it. ''You're supposed to be independent. So why don't you withdraw that thing? … 'Get yourself out of trouble.'' McClain responded, 'Yup, will do,' according to the filing. The conversation marks another instance where Bradley, who was not charged allegedly had cozy interactions with Madigan. According to trial testimony, Bradley served as a go-between for do-nothing ComEd contracts and several of the speaker's allies, and also agreed to send monthly checks to 13th Ward lieutenant Kevin Quinn, the brother of Madigan's handpicked 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn, who had been fired over sexual harassment allegations. On Nov. 13, 2018, shortly before the JCAR meeting, Bradley told McClain that another intermediary had 'completed his mission' and had received a 'favorable response,' prosecutors said, describing a wiretapped call that was not played in Madigan's trial. The name of the other intermediary was blacked out in the filing. After the meeting, McClain reported to Madigan the good news on the vote, which was unanimous in blocking the Rauner maneuver, according to prosecutors. 'Eleven to zero prohibition on PTAB,' McClain said, according to the government filing. 'So, it's over.' Madigan responded, 'Mhm, okay, very good,' according to the filing, which did not spell out why the episode wasn't presented to the jury. In their next meeting in early 2019, then-PTAB Chairman Mauro Glorioso reported that JCAR had found the tax board 'has no statutory authority to take the action embodied in the rulemaking, and the finding that the rulemaking represents a severe threat to the public interest,' according to meeting minutes posted online. Glorioso filed a notice of withdrawal of the rulemaking, which passed 5-0, the minutes stated. Glorioso, a Republican attorney from Westchester, did not immediately return calls seeking comment Tuesday. In their sentencing filing Friday, Madigan's attorneys asked U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey for a period of probation with some home confinement, citing Madigan's age, his long record of public service and reputation for honesty and integrity. Any response from the defense to what prosecutors alleged in their filing is due Friday. At trial, Madigan's attorney presented a series of witnesses who all testified that Madigan was careful to avoid any conflicts of interest. Among them was Madigan himself, who testified in his own defense in January that he routinely recused himself voting on any real estate transfer legislation involving state-owned land, and had his law partner and top staffers constantly combing through potential clients, looking for red flags. Justin Cox, a former top attorney for the speaker, testified Madigan never voted on land transfer bills even if they dealt with property far from Chicago. 'He would not vote on land transfer bills just to prevent any question of 'was there a conflict here?'' Cox said. 'And that wouldn't just be for properties in Cook County area, that would be for properties all across the state.' Madigan's former law partner, Vincent 'Bud' Getzendanner, testified that potential clients who'd had business with the General Assembly or the House of Representatives would be flagged so the firm would not contract with them. Beyond those groups, Getzendanner testified, their firm would also avoid working with unions, lobbyists and even nursing homes due to their connections to state government. Madigan's attorneys presented communications from Getzendanner showing he shared lists of potential clients who'd been flagged with the speaker's House staff so they could identify and eliminate any potential conflicts. In their filing, however, prosecutors said Madigan's explanation on what Bradley should say to Glorioso was 'another example of Madigan priming the listener, the person to whom he is speaking, with seemingly legal or logical reasons to cover the improper personal gains Madigan was trying to secure for himself.' The jury heard Madigan doing the same thing, prosecutors said, in a videotaped conversation between the speaker and then-Ald. Daniel Solis, who was secretly cooperating with the FBI. In that video, Madigan pulled Solis aside before a meeting with developers at his law office and scolded him for using the words 'quid pro quo' in an earlier phone call. Madigan told Solis, 'You're just recommending our law firm—because if, if they don't get a good result on the real estate taxes, the whole project would be in trouble. So you want high quality representation.' 'The bogus justification that Madigan articulated for Solis on that occasion was a similar false narrative designed to secure the end Madigan sought to achieve — continuing to use Solis as a source of law firm clients,' prosecutors wrote. As for Madigan's use of Bradley and McClain to allegedly do his dirty work, prosecutors said 'concealment and secrecy were the hallmarks of Madigan's conduct.' 'The JCAR incident is one example of how Madigan used intermediaries, or surrogates, to insulate himself and to cause others to dirty their hands on his behalf,' the filing stated. 'McClain was Madigan's lead surrogate for years. McClain willingly allowed Madigan to use him to, in McClain's words, avoid Madigan's 'fingerprints' being left. McClain and Madigan faced trial together. A jury in February deadlocked on all counts related to McClain and delivered a mixed verdict for Madigan, finding the former speaker guilty on 10 of 23 counts but acquitting him on several others. The jury also deadlocked on the marquee charge of racketeering for both Madigan and McClain. McClain still faces sentencing in July, however, in the related 'ComEd Four' bribery conspiracy case.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bail reform legislation dies in Texas House. Will Greg Abbott call a special session?
Two proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution which were a major part of GOP-priority bail reform legislation are dead after the state House declined to pass them by a Wednesday deadline. Senate Joint Resolution 1 and SJR 87 were part of the bail reform package authored by Houston Republican Sen. Joan Huffman and backed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and a bipartisan majority of the state Senate. Neither resolution, however, garnered the constitutionally required 100-vote supermajority to advance from the House to a November statewide referendum despite attempts by supporters to rally additional votes. Down to the wire: Key highlights from Texas' legislative session with one week to go SJR 1 — called "Jocelyn's Law" after 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, whose body was found last year in a Houston bayou after allegedly being bound, sexually assaulted and strangled to death by two men believed to be in the U.S. illegally — would have kept defendants charged with a felony who are in the U.S. without legal authorization in jail until trial. It died with an 87-39 third-reading vote Wednesday. SJR 87 would have required judges to automatically deny bail to suspects accused of nine specific serious crimes — including murder, capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and human trafficking — if the person had been previously convicted of, or is out on bond for, one of those offenses. The resolution died Tuesday with a 97-40 vote, just three supporters short of making it on this fall's statewide ballot. The measure was not reconsidered despite indications lawmakers hoped to bring it back for another vote. Supporters of the legislation, including House sponsor Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, framed the bills as a matter of life and death, citing homicides allegedly committed by defendants who were already out on bail for a different charge. "Had we passed this constitutional amendment six years ago, there would be little boys and girls still alive today who were tragically killed," Smithee said during debate on SJR 1 last week. "I can promise you this: If we adopt this amendment and the voters approve it, it will save innocent human life. Period." Democratic House members, however, have argued the measures are discriminatory and strip suspects of their constitutional right to due process. "A lot of folks are going to be tied up in this that are members of my community," said Rep. Ramon Romero, D-Fort Worth, during debate on SJR 1 on Wednesday. "Laws like this, and putting this before the public and asking them to go out and vote so you can throw away the key when some undocumented person ends up in jail, that hurts our communities." More: Texas House advances bail reform package while immigration-related proposal faces challenges Lawmakers have approved several other parts of Huffman's bail reform package, including a proposed constitutional amendment which, if adopted by voters, would give judges greater discretion to deny bail to defendants charged with certain violent offenses. Senate Democrats praised the passage of that amendment, SJR 5, in a statement late Thursday after the upper chamber voted to accept House changes to the legislation and send the measure to voters. "We faced two hard truths this session. One: Families have lost loved ones to violent crimes committed by people who never should have been released. Two: Our justice system holds too many people behind bars who don't belong there — people not yet convicted and who aren't dangerous but can't afford bail," the statement reads. "We supported SJR 5 because it acknowledges both realities." At least one Republican House member belives the failure of several pieces of bail reform legislation in the lower chamber will prompt Abbott to call lawmakers back for a special session. 'I have no doubt that we will be called into a special session if this is not passed,' Rep. J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville, wrote in a post on X after a Tuesday vote. 'We will ask for it to be reconsidered and will not stop until it passes.' Only the governor can call a special session. Bail reform has been one of Abbott's key issues. The Republican designated the legislation an emergency item during his biennial State of the State address in February toward the beginning of the legislative session. The governor has consistently voiced support for the measures on social media, firing off a spate of tweets in recent weeks urging lawmakers to vote in favor of the legislation. He also made an impromptu visit to the House last week, ostensibly to shore up support for bail reform and other legislative priorities. Speaking briefly with reporters on the House floor last week, Abbott was clearly pleased with the passage of much of the bail reform package but urged lawmakers to push through the remaining items. "We've been working hard on this for a long time," the governor said after chatting informally with several House members. "Too many people have been murdered because of the broken bail system that we've had. "It needs to get done." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Bail reform bills die in Texas House. Will Abbott call special session?
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lindsey Graham draws Democratic Senate challenger who previously lost congressional race
A South Carolina pediatrician and former Democratic House candidate announced Wednesday that she is now running to replace Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in the upper chamber of Congress. Dr. Annie Andrews, who lost by about 14 percentage points to Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., in the 2022 election, announced her new campaign through a roughly three-and-a-half-minute political ad in which she describes Graham as "full of s---." Andrews, wearing scrubs and seen interacting with young patients, says she has been a pediatrician in South Carolina for about two decades, and that parents trust her to "treat their kids for just about everything you can imagine." She then points to a series of X-rays. Sen. Graham Responds In Kind To Trump's Joke About Wanting To Be Pope: 'Keep An Open Mind' "This is an X-ray of a kid with measles pneumonia, a condition easily prevented by vaccines. This is a kid with cancer, one of the diseases the NIH doesn't have the funding to study anymore, and this is a kid who's been shot, which, despite being the number one cause of death for children in America, is no longer classified as a public health crisis," Andrews says. Read On The Fox News App She then shows a final X-ray image of a child with constipation. "And this kid, and there's really no other way to say this, is quite literally full of s---," Andrew says, before showing a video of Graham. "And this is an adult who is also completely and unequivocally full of s---. Roll the tape." The ad plays several conflicting clips of Graham in which he criticizes President Donald Trump, including by describing him as a "kook" and telling him to "go to hell," and then videos showing Graham supporting him. Graham was initially critical of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, but the senator later became one of Trump's most vocal supporters. "It's embarrassing, and South Carolina deserves better," Andrews says, announcing her campaign for U.S. Senate. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Graham's campaign manager, Mark Knoop, said "the more effective you are in helping enact President Trump's agenda, the more Democrats want to take you down." "While Dr. Andrews pushes a radical liberal agenda that is out of touch with South Carolina, Senator Graham has always stood firm for conservative values - cutting taxes, securing the border, protecting the right to life, defending the 2nd Amendment, and confirming conservative judges to protect our freedoms," Knoop added. In her ad, Andrews also criticizes several Trump allies and Cabinet secretaries, including DOGE adviser Elon Musk, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. "An unelected billionaire is taking a chainsaw to Social Security, Medicare and veterans' healthcare. The vaccine-denying brain worm guy is gutting our nation's healthcare system. The wrestling lady is elbow dropping the Department of Education," Andrews says. "And a guy who can't even organize a text thread is running the Department of Defense." "And Lindsey Graham voted to confirm every single one of these people," Andrews claims, despite the Senate not voting to confirm Musk, who was a "special government employee." The ad cuts to Andrews banging her head on a table, saying, "It's a lot." Mace Sounds Off On Stock Trading In Congress, Pelosi Remains Silent: 'Something Doesn't Add Up' "All while backing Trump's plan to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires while raising yours," she continues, showing footage of Graham speaking with Meta CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. Andrews says Graham, 69, has been a senator for half of her lifetime and "as it turns out, most senators don't get better with age." "Lindsey is going to tell you that I'm radical, I'm crazy because that's what weak men do when they feel threatened by strong women," Andrews says. "But here's the thing, I'm literally a busy mom and a pediatrician who plays peek-a-boo with my patients, watches Bluey with my kids – I love Bluey – and spends most of my free time shuttling them to dance, taekwondo and football." "Say hi kids," Andrews says to her children in the back of her vehicle. They respond, "Hi, kids!" and Andrews tells the camera, "So radical." "I also just happen to be someone who isn't afraid of a fight," Andrew says. "And like so many of you, I'm worried about what the future holds for our kids and our state." "Everything from failing schools to closing hospitals. The climate crisis and rising prices. To tariffs hurting our ports and auto industry. Worrying won't do anything, but stepping up to join me in this fight just might. A fight where we put common sense over culture wars and hope over hate. Right now, Lindsey Graham is counting on all of us to stay quiet. And that means one thing, it's time to get loud." Fox News Digital reached out to Graham's campaign for comment on Thursday. In an interview with The Hill, Andrews reportedly said Graham "changed his position on nearly every issue" throughout his 22 years in the Senate and doesn't "stand for anything other than himself." Graham last won re-election in 2020, defeating Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison by 10 percentage points. Harrison had raised more than $100 million to unseat Graham but was unsuccessful. Andrews told The Hill that Harrison "ran a great campaign, but it was in the middle of the COVID pandemic which really hamstrung their ability to have an effective field operation." She said the country is now in a "very different moment," pointing to issues that she described as "attacks on our health care system" and "attacks on the social safety nets that are really the bedrock and foundation of this country." Andrews worked at the Medical University of South Carolina for about 15 years until 2023. She told The Hill she currently has a part-time role at the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. and a faculty appointment at George Washington University. She has medical licenses in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina. She told The Hill she plans to renew her license in South Carolina, which is set to expire next month. If elected to the Senate, she told The Hill, she wants to prioritize making the child tax credit article source: Lindsey Graham draws Democratic Senate challenger who previously lost congressional race
Fox News
6 days ago
- Business
- Fox News
Lindsey Graham draws Democratic Senate challenger who previously lost congressional race
A South Carolina pediatrician and former Democratic House candidate announced Wednesday that she is now running to replace Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in the upper chamber of Congress. Dr. Annie Andrews, who lost by about 14 percentage points to Mace in the 2022 election, announced her campaign through a roughly three-and-a-half-minute political ad in which she describes Graham as "full of s---." Andrews, wearing scrubs and seen interacting with young patients, says she has been a pediatrician in South Carolina for about two decades, and that parents trust her to "treat their kids for just about everything you can imagine." She then points to a series of X-rays. "This is an X-ray of a kid with measles pneumonia, a condition easily prevented by vaccines. This is a kid with cancer, one of the diseases the NIH doesn't have the funding to study anymore, and this is a kid who's been shot, which despite being the number one cause of death for children in America is no longer classified as a public health crisis," Andrews says. She then shows a final X-ray image of a child with constipation. "And this kid, and there's really no other way to say this, is quite literally full of s---," Andrew says, before showing a video of Graham. "And this is an adult who is also completely and unequivocally full of s---. Roll the tape." The ad plays several conflicting clips of Graham in which he criticizes President Donald Trump, including by describing him as a "kook" and telling him to "go to hell," and then videos showing Graham supporting him. Graham was initially critical of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, but the senator later became one of Trump's most vocal supporters. "It's embarrassing, and South Carolina deserves better," Andrews says, announcing her campaign for U.S. Senate. She then goes on to criticize several Trump allies and Cabinet secretaries, including DOGE adviser Elon Musk, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. "An unelected billionaire is taking a chainsaw to Social Security, Medicare and veterans' healthcare. The vaccine-denying brain worm guy is gutting our nation's healthcare system. The wrestling lady is elbow dropping the Department of Education," Andrews says. "And a guy who can't even organize a text thread is running the Department of Defense." "And Lindsey Graham voted to confirm every single one of these people," Andrews claims, despite the Senate not voting to confirm Musk, who was a "special government employee." The ad cuts to Andrews banging her head on a table, saying, "It's a lot." "All while backing Trump's plan to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires while raising yours," she continues, showing footage of Graham speaking with Meta CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. Andrews says Graham, 69, has been a senator for half of her lifetime and "as it turns out, most senators don't get better with age." "Lindsey is going to tell you that I'm radical, I'm crazy because that's what weak men do when they feel threatened by strong women," Andrews says. "But here's the thing, I'm literally a busy mom and a pediatrician who plays peek-a-boo with my patients, watches Bluey with my kids – I love Bluey – and spends most of my free time shuttling them to dance, taekwondo and football." "Say hi kids," Andrews says to her children in the back of her vehicle. They respond, "Hi, kids!" and Andrews tells the camera, "So radical." "I also just happen to be someone who isn't afraid of a fight," Andrew says. "And like so many of you, I'm worried about what the future holds for our kids and our state." "Everything from failing schools to closing hospitals. The climate crisis and rising prices. To tariffs hurting our ports and auto industry. Worrying won't do anything, but stepping up to join me in this fight just might. A fight where we put common sense over culture wars and hope over hate. Right now, Lindsey Graham is counting on all of us to stay quiet. And that means one thing, it's time to get loud." Fox News Digital reached out to Graham's office for comment on Thursday. In an interview with The Hill, Andrews reportedly said Graham "changed his position on nearly every issue" throughout his 22 years in the Senate and doesn't "stand for anything other than himself." Graham last won re-election in 2020, defeating Democratic challenger Jamie Harrison by 10 percentage points. Harrison had raised more than $100 million to unseat Graham but was unsuccessful. Andrews told The Hill that Harrison "ran a great campaign, but it was in the middle of the COVID pandemic which really hamstrung their ability to have an effective field operation." She said the country now was in a "very different moment," pointing to issues that she described as "attacks on our health care system" and "attacks on the social safety nets that are really the bedrock and foundation of this country." Andrews worked at the Medical University of South Carolina for about 15 years until 2023. She told The Hill she currently has a part-time role at the Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. and a faculty appointment at George Washington University. She has medical licenses in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina. She told The Hill she plans to renew her license in South Carolina, which is set to expire next month. If elected to the Senate, she told The Hill, she wants to prioritize making the child tax credit permanent.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia House Democrats launch statewide town hall tour Tuesday
The Brief Georgia House Democrats launched a statewide town hall tour Tuesday in LaGrange to connect with voters ahead of the 2026 midterms. Lawmakers plan to address key issues including health care access, housing affordability, education, and economic opportunity. Despite Troup County's Republican lean, Democrats hope to engage new communities and emphasized that the event is nonpartisan and open to all residents. LAGRANGE, Ga. - Georgia House Democrats are launching a statewide town hall listening tour Tuesday night in Troup County, with the goal of connecting directly with residents and outlining their priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. What we know Democratic House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley and other members of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus will gather in LaGrange to kick off the tour. Lawmakers say the event offers a chance to hear directly from their constituents and to share their legislative agenda. What they're saying "We're excited about this opportunity," Hugley said. "It's an opportunity for residents to hear how Democratic House members say they are working to expand health care coverage, address housing affordability, education and other pressing issues. Because our whole thing is about making Georgia the best place to live, to learn and to earn. And we think that people should be able to live their best lives here in Georgia and earn without limit." Despite rainy weather throughout the day, organizers hope turnout will be strong. They noted that the session is open to the public and emphasized that it is a nonpartisan event. "I have great expectations that if we can get Troup County on board, we can turn this state blue," Inetha Hatton, Troup County Democratic Party, said. Although former President Donald Trump carried Troup County by a wide margin in 2024, Democratic leaders say they are focused on building momentum in areas traditionally dominated by Republicans. "I do expect the good turnout. And I expect a big buzz that if you missed it tonight, you are missing a good thing," Hatton added. What's next The session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in LaGrange.
