Each time somebody assures you that one other particular person you’re
each coping with “understands” the “quid professional quo,” you’d be sensible to run away
as quick as you possibly can and by no means look again.
However that’s precisely how then-Ald. Daniel Solis assured
then-Home Speaker Michael Madigan in late June of 2017 that their mark – the
builders of a West Loop condominium advanced – would finally be satisfied to
retain Madigan’s property tax appeals regulation agency.
Solis chaired the highly effective Zoning Committee, so the
builders needed to come by him, and Solis mentioned they’d perceive the
recreation: The builders rent Madigan’s regulation agency and their zoning adjustments can be
accepted.
“I believe they perceive how this works,” Solis instructed
Madigan. “The quid professional quo.”
Solis admitted on the stand throughout Madigan’s corruption
trial that what he mentioned to Madigan was “dumb.”
Madigan didn’t know that the federal authorities was
recording all his conversations with Solis. So, what was dumb about what Solis
mentioned is that Madigan may’ve instantly reduce all ties to Solis, and Solis’
federal handlers would’ve been livid that he let the goal get away.
Seems, the actual dummy was Madigan.
Madigan didn’t stroll away. As an alternative, he saved going again to
Solis, solely gently admonishing him weeks later by telling Solis to not say the
quiet half out loud and instructing him within the well mannered means of conducting
enterprise.
After which a number of months later, whereas speaking about one other
actual property deal, Solis requested whether or not the West Loop builders had signed on
with Madigan’s agency. Madigan didn’t say, however appeared to present Solis the
go-ahead to course of their zoning request.
“You had been considering processing one thing,” Madigan
mentioned. “You must go forward and course of that.”
The feds are additionally attempting to show that Madigan’s
consigliere, longtime lobbyist and fellow defendant Mike McClain, wasn’t simply
freelancing with out Madigan’s approval when it got here to all of the calls for McClain
was making of ComEd.
The trial thus far has given the feds massive wins on that
level. Madigan and Solis had been in discussions concerning the state transferring a
Chinatown car parking zone to the town of Chicago in order that it may very well be developed into
a resort, and Madigan might get the property tax enterprise. So, he instructed Solis to
attain out to McClain.
McClain would give the developer “some concepts about the best way to
go about it.”
A few months later, Solis once more introduced up the
Chinatown parcel to Madigan. “Let me get again into it and, and, um, see if
there’s some approach to discover someone that may discuss to IDOT. That, that’s the place the
choice’s going to be made,” Madigan mentioned.
“I’m attempting to determine a approach to method it,”
Madigan later instructed Solis concerning the parcel. He seemed to be calculating how he
might move a invoice to learn his regulation agency with out leaving any overt
fingerprints.
Madigan finally instructed Solis that one of many Chinatown
builders would quickly be receiving a name from McClain.
The hassle to switch the property prolonged into the
spring of 2018 for a number of causes, most significantly opposition from native
legislators.
In March of 2018, Madigan instructed Solis that perhaps McClain
ought to discuss to the senator who was placing a brick on the land switch and
then defined to Solis at size how this specific laws might shorten
the time it will take to switch the property to the town.
From there, jurors heard recordings concerning the intricacies
of passing the invoice, together with who was blocking it. McClain is heard on a
recording briefing Madigan about which legislators had been opposing the invoice and
about how the then-Secretary of Transportation was “getting squeamish” about
it.
Additionally in March, Solis instructed Madigan that if Madigan might
“care for that [Chinatown] matter in Could,” throughout the finish of spring
session, “I am assured they will respect it and … signal you up on after Could.”
Madigan did not run away then, both.
However the invoice finally died and a potential payday was
missed.
On Could 28, 2018, a number of days earlier than the scheduled finish of
spring session when there was nonetheless hope the invoice would advance, McClain known as
a member of Madigan’s Home employees to inform them concerning the property tax switch
invoice, “that offers with a developer of [Madigan’s].” McClain instructed the
staffer: “He desires to ensure he votes ‘current.'”
In different phrases, if the feds didn’t have Madigan, McClain
and Solis on quite a few recordings, Madigan might’ve formally lined his rear
by voting “current” on a invoice that may’ve doubtlessly padded his pockets and
that he’d allegedly been actively pushing behind the scenes for months on finish.
