(The Center Square) – Former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo, D-Chicago, has reported to the witness stand at the bribery and racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Acevedo followed lobbyist Tom Cullen and AT&T executive Dino Perdiou to the witness stand Monday. Judge John Robert Blakey ordered Acevedo to testify over objections from his attorney and Madigan’s attorneys.
Prosecutors are expected to rest their case soon after Acevedo finishes testifying.
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins said this is a difficult case for the government.
“I think one of the particular challenges about this case is the lack of direct evidence from the speaker’s own voice or an individual testifying, what prosecutors call, ‘flipper witnesses,’ who were in the room at the time the deal was made or the agreement was hatched,” Collins told The Center Square.
Collins said prosecutors have the burden of proof, but jurors have common sense.
“Because of the parade of public officials we’ve had over the last several decades, I do think jurors have a very low tolerance for hearing stuff that sounds dirty,” Collins said.
Madigan’s defense team has indicated that it plans to call witnesses this week. Collins said the defense case could be impactful.
“In a criminal case, that can really change the dynamic of a case. I don’t suspect that Madigan will testify, but one never knows,” Collins said.
Monday morning, Blakey instructed jurors to disregard questions and answers from state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, who testified for about 10 minutes on Oct. 24th. Blakey said that Rita would not be part of the trial.
The judge didn’t explain the reasons for the decision to the jury.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amar Bhachu previously said there were “some things in play” with regard to Rita.
Rita testified in March 2023 during the related trial of four former ComEd executives and lobbyists accused of a long-running scheme to corruptly influence Madigan.
In that case, which was overseen by a different judge, Rita said Madigan exercised unchecked power over everything from committee assignments to when and if bills were called for a vote or left to die in the House Rules Committee.
Asked by prosecutors how Madigan obtained that power, Rita responded: “Through fear and intimidation.” Rita further said that getting elected as a Democrat in Illinois without Madigan’s support “could be very, very difficult.”
Rita also told the jury what happened to people who didn’t follow Madigan’s orders. When former state Rep. Kenneth Dunkin, D-Chicago, sided with former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on a vote, Rita said the Democratic Party of Illinois recruited and funded a candidate to run against Dunkin in the next primary election.
Jurors in the case against Madigan and co-defendant Michael McClain have heard testimony from other witnesses about Madigan’s powerful political position in Illinois.
Prosecutors have alleged that ComEd and AT&T Illinois gave out jobs and contract work to those loyal to Madigan to get legislation passed that would benefit them in Springfield.
ComEd agreed to pay $200 million in July 2020 to resolve a criminal investigation into the years-long bribery scheme. As part of a deferred prosecution agreement, ComEd admitted it arranged $1.3 million in jobs, vendor subcontracts and payments to influence Madigan. AT&T Illinois agreed to pay $23 million as part of its own deferred prosecution agreement in 2022.
Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021. He served as speaker of the Illinois House from 1983 to 1995 and again from 1997 to 2021. He chaired the Democratic Party of Illinois for 23 years.
Madigan, who resigned after losing the House speakership in January 2021, faces 23 counts of racketeering, bribery and official misconduct. He has pleaded “not guilty.”
Brett Rowland contributed to this report.
