Opening statements begin in Madigan corruption trial

CHICAGO (CBS) — Opening statements in the federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan began Monday afternoon, after federal prosecutors and defense attorneys wrapped up a lengthy jury selection process.
The two sides spent more than two weeks picking 12 jurors and six alternates, with the final alternate being picked early Monday afternoon, 
U.S. District Judge Robert Blakey said preliminary jury instructions and opening statements would begin around 1:15 p.m. Monday. Prosecutors have asked for two hours for their opening statement, while attorneys for Madigan and his co-defendant have estimated they need one hour each.
Madigan, 82, and his codefendant and longtime confidant, lobbyist Michael McClain, are facing a 117-page, 23-count indictment that charges them with racketeering, conspiracy, bribery, and wire fraud. Most of the counts carry up to 20 years in prison if they are convicted.
As opening statements began, Madigan was seated in the courtroom with his wife and daughter in the front row of the gallery.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker started by saying, “This is a case about corruption at the highest level.”
Federal prosecutors have accused Madigan of using his political power for personal gain over a nearly decade-long scheme. Madigan and McClain are accused of a bribery scheme involving multiple businesses—including ComEd—in which the businesses paid Madigan’s associates as a reward for their loyalty to Madigan.
Prosecutors said Madigan used his various political positions as part of a long-term scheme to arrange for no-show jobs for his political workers, and personal benefits for himself and his law firm.
Madigan’s defense attorneys focused on his legacy rather than the evidence they plan to present. They claimed prosecutors will make a case “reliant on unreliable sources” and that “they’re gonna build their case on former representatives that had an axe to grind.”
At the center of the case are a series of secret wire tap recordings where the jury can hear the former House speaker discus the various schemes. CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller said the prosecution’s opening statements were important to give the jury an idea of what’s coming as they make their case against Madigan.
“They gave the jury the highlights of what’s coming in these audio tapes and the reason they want to do that is because the defense is gonna tell the jury they can’t believe these flippers,” said Miller. “But the prosecution’s saying you don’t have to believe them. It’s on tape.”
As for Madigan’s defense, Miller said they wanted to take an “aggressive approach.”
“They weren’t just gonna lay back in the weeds and take it from the government,” he said. “They wanted to give these jurors something to think about, as to try to throw in a little reasonable doubt. That’s all the defense has to do, to say these flippers were acting on their own, that what the evidence is gonna be favorable to Mike Madigan, to show he’s a decent guy and he had nothing to do with any of these schemes.”
Madigan and McClain have pleaded not guilty to all charges, and defense attorneys are expected to argue the defendants did nothing wrong, and accuse prosecutors of trying to criminalize legal political actions.
Attorneys for McClain will give their opening statements on Tuesday before all sides begin presenting evidence to the jury.
The trial is expected to last 11 weeks at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in the Loop.