THE ILLINOIZE: What do we know about the Madigan wiretaps?...Irvin still lying in mailers...Pat Quinn testing comeback?
May 24, 2022
Good morning, Illinois.
My new column for Shaw Media newspapers should be up this morning. You can click here to find it. Following Auditor General reports smacking around the Pritzker administration over a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home and the failures of DCFS, I talk about how I’m desperate for politicians to take responsibility when they or their staff screws up.
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Let’s get to it.
WHAT DID MADIGAN SAY ON TAPE?
The general thinking of many Springfield or political types is that House Speaker Michael Madigan was likely bulletproof from wiretaps because there “was no way” he would be so reckless to talk about criminal activity on the phone.
Maybe we were wrong.
In a 144-page application and affidavit for a search warrant, unsealed this week, the FBI requested to search the phone of Madigan confidante and former lobbyist Mike McClain. McClain was believed to be the conduit between Madigan and any illegal activities. There are two specific conversations that the FBI points to between Madigan and McClain they believe showed Madigan actually had knowledge of the illegal activities.
The first, on May 16, 2018, involved the manufactured appointment of former McPier CEO Juan Ochoa to the ComEd Board of Directors.
Madigan said to McClain about pushback from ComEd to Ochoa’s appointment, "Alright and Mike, my recommendation is, go forward with [Ochoa] so if the only complaint about [Ochoa] is that he suffers from bankruptcy twice, so did Harry Truman."
McClain said, "Right."
Madigan said, ''You know, and then are you going to talk to her about [Ochoa]."
McClain said, "I did today. I had a long conversation. I thought I better move on that after our conversation Monday."
In the filing, FBI agent McNamara said it was proof Madigan directed McClain to conduct illegal activities.
“I believe this call demonstrates that Madigan directs McClain to solicit or extort from ComEd private benefits for Madigan's associates, including [Ochoa],” McNamara wrote.
Then, on August 29, 2018, McClain and Madigan discussed efforts to recruit third parties to make monthly payments to former aide Kevin Quinn who had been fired after being accused of sexual harassment by Madigan staffer Alaina Hampton.
McClain said, "So, Speaker, I put four or five people together that are willing to contribute to help a monthly thing, for the next six months like I mentioned to you to [Quinn].”
Madigan said, "Yeah, yeah."
McClain said, "So I'm prepared to talk about it, but I didn't know if you wanted to mention it to - [Quinn] -or if you want to stay out of it or ... do you want me to talk to [Quinn]? I mean, whatever you want."
Madigan said, ''Yeah I think I ought to stay out of it."
McClain said, "Okay.''
Madigan said, "That's what I think."
McClain said, ''Okay, alright. I'll take care of it."
The FBI said the call showed Madigan informed McClain that he wanted to be able to appear to have no knowledge of the payments being made to Quinn and directed McClain to inform [Quinn] that arrangements were made to supply with monthly payments from the aforementioned lobbyists.
Those could be two major lines you hear about in any eventual Madigan trial.
Also, because I’m a child, I couldn’t help but giggle at the way the feds referred to the cell phone used by lobbyist John Hooker…the “Hooker phone.” Snort.
WHAT’S PAT QUINN UP TO?
The great Greg Pratt of the Chicago Tribune tweeted last night that former Governor Pat Quinn is polling.
A Quinn ballot initiative on term limits makes all the sense in the world. Once a rabble rouser always a rabble rouser.
If the 73-year-old former Governor (who probably doesn’t have a great reputation if you ask voters) tried to run for Mayor, you can’t expect him to do particularly well. I texted a Democratic insider friend last night about Quinn and simply got the eyeroll emoji back. 🙄
IRVIN STILL LYING IN MAIL PIECES
I actually received a pro-Richard Irvin mailer from the Irvin campaign over the weekend. It’s a drastic break from the sometimes comical attack mailers his camp has been sending about Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) and venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan over the last few weeks.
But in what has been par for the course with the Irvin campaign, they continue to repeat another blatant lie. I highlighted it above, in which the campaign continues to claim Irvin, the Mayor of Aurora “called in the National Guard” during the violent June 2020 protests in cities across the country.
The problem is, a mayor has no power to call in the National Guard to as much as hand out ice cream cones. Only a Governor has the power to activate the Guard, and it has never been revealed if Irvin even asked Governor Pritzker to send Guardsmen to Aurora.
A lot of the Irvin folks, I’m told, think I’m “biased” against their candidate. I’m not biased against their candidate. I’m biased for the truth.
STAY IN TOUCH
Let us know what’s on your mind. Thinking about another Q&A post this week. Drop me a note at patrick@theillinoize.com. You can also keep up on Facebook and Twitter.
Have a great day.