THE ILLINOIZE: Thursday Free for All...Madigan jury selection...Bears stadium stalemate
October 10, 2024
Good morning, Illinois.
There are 26 days to Election Day. It’s day two of the Michael Madigan corruption trial (where jury selection continues.)
The Governor’s office sent a release yesterday as the Gov “concluded” his trade mission to Japan, but his public schedule today says he’s concluding the trip. Maybe it’s a time zone thing.
Let’s get to it.
YOUR THURSDAY FREE FOR ALL
(note: we’re not responsible for paywalls and restrictions from other news outlets, because good journalism isn’t free)
Michael Madigan meets a few of the people who could decide his fate — just 3 jurors chosen (Chicago Sun-Times)
Two men and one woman were the first to be chosen as jurors in the racketeering conspiracy trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan on Wednesday, launching a selection process that got off to a slow start.
One is an educator. Another works for Amazon. And the third says he works in insurance. Now, they’ll help decide the fate of one of the most powerful politicians in Illinois history.
That man, Madigan, spent the day listening to lawyers interview potential jurors, including one person who said Madigan had a reputation for “doing things his way” and for being involved in “shady dealings.” He was excused from the panel.
Madigan, 82, simply took notes on a yellow legal pad, showing little reaction to the comments as preliminaries in his trial continued.
The ex-speaker also crossed paths with his onetime friend, Michael McClain, 77. The relationship between the pair has been examined in multiple corruption trials in Chicago. Now they’re finally on trial together, but it still seemed to take them hours Wednesday to acknowledge each other.
McClain stepped into the courtroom and quickly took his seat just as things got underway in the morning. For the most part, Madigan kept his back to him. But U.S. District Judge John Blakey later called a bathroom break, and McClain stepped out of the courtroom while Madigan stayed behind.
When McClain returned, Madigan appeared to raise his left hand in a subtle wave toward his co-defendant. McClain seemed to smile back. But once again, he made his way to his seat without speaking to Madigan.
The pair otherwise blended into the background while Blakey, prosecutors and defense attorneys pressed forward with their inquiries of potential jurors, questioning 10 people in all.
By contrast, 20 people were interviewed on the first day of jury selection in last year’s trial of ex-Ald. Edward M. Burke. At one point Wednesday, Blakey warned the lawyers they were on track for jury selection in Madigan’s trial to last three and a half weeks.
Related: Three jurors selected so far to hear evidence in Madigan corruption trial (Chicago Tribune)
Woman whose sexual harassment claims rocked Springfield may be one of first witnesses in Madigan trial (Chicago Sun-Times)
As Madigan corruption trial kicks off, focus will be on those three taboo words: quid pro quo (Chicago Tribune)
Breaking down the charges in the Michael Madigan indictment (Chicago Tribune)
Opinion: Could the fall of Michael Madigan be decisive for Illinois corruption? (Chicago Tribune)
Chicago Bears remain focused on a new downtown stadium, Kevin Warren says, despite lack of traction for public financing (Chicago Tribune)
Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren says his focus for a new stadium project remains on the Museum Campus in Chicago, with a goal of breaking ground on construction in 2025.
Speaking Wednesday at the countryside resort where the team is staying in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Warren projected the same energy and passion for the project he has all along.
Beyond that, there wasn’t much new since the last time Warren spoke publicly about the project in an early September appearance at the Economic Club of Chicago.
The Bears have proposed spending $2.3 billion to build an enclosed stadium just south of Soldier Field. They are seeking about $1.5 billion in taxpayer financing and up to another $1.5 billion in public infrastructure.
That has created obstacles the team is working to navigate while it continues to plan a stadium that, with a few modifications here and there, could be placed anywhere.
Warren said he is studying the ramifications of the NFL’s approval in August for teams to sell stakes to select private equity firms — up to 10% — a move that could inject cash into the Bears organization as it pursues the stadium project.
“I want to make sure any decisions we make don’t create any unintended consequences,” Warren said. “At this point in time, (selling stakes is) not something that we’re focused on and exploring in Chicago.
“But I say that to say these next couple months, my focus will be to make sure I truly understand how the private equity system would work in the National Football League. I will spend the next couple of months really digging deep into not only how it operates, but the financial implications, what happens down the road. Probably in about two months, I’ll be more educated to say the impact that private equity not only will have on the (NFL), but any of these stadium projects that are current.”
It’s worth noting Gov. Pritzker hasn’t specifically said “no” to the project yes, but, from what I can tell, he’s a long way from “yes.”
Related: Chicago Bears stay focused on city’s lakefront for new stadium, team president says (Associated Press)
Bears CEO says lakefront ‘best’ stadium site, but leaves door open for Arlington Heights (Daily Herald)
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