(The Center Square) – Jurors have heard several convicted Illinois politicians named at the bribery and racketeering trial of the former speaker of the Illinois House.
Former Speaker Michael Madigan and his longtime associate Michael McClain are charged with bribery, racketeering and official misconduct. The case is being heard at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.
Former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis began testifying on Nov. 21 and continued Wednesday morning before the court went into recess for Thanksgiving.
Solis agreed to cooperate with federal investigators and secretly recorded conversations with Madigan, McClain and others. Solis still faces a pending bribery charge under a deferred prosecution agreement.
U.S. government attorney Diane MacArthur played a recorded call from April 23, 2018, featuring McClain and Solis talking about state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Chicago.
“I’ve never wanted the guy on my side. I think he’s an indictment waiting to happen, frankly,” McClain said.
“I kind of agree with you,” Solis responded.
In an earlier call, Solis suggested to McClain that state Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, was very similar to Sandoval.
“Arroyo would come here with his wife and says, ‘You know, my wife’s a lobbyist for zoning and developers,’” Solis said.
“I think so, like, I tried to tell Luis not to do that any more, but he still does it,” McClain said.
Arroyo pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2021 and was sentenced to five years in prison.
Sandoval pleaded guilty to bribery in 2020 and died later that year.
Since Solis first took the stand on Thursday, Nov. 21, prosecutors have introduced evidence surrounding a number of real estate development deals.
Madigan is accused of using his public office to illegally steer business to his private law firm, Madigan and Getzendanner.
In a phone call recorded on Sep. 26, 2018, Madigan told Solis that he had read about developer Harry Skydell buying a property at One South Wacker in downtown Chicago. Madigan suggested to Solis, “There might be an opportunity for me.”
Solis promised to call Skydell “right away.”
In a video secretly recorded by Solis on Oct. 9, 2018, Solis asked Skydell about the property Madigan had inquired about.
“That’s the property that Burke has,” Skydell told Solis.
Both men laughed, and Skydell added, “That’s the property I gave Burke.”
Skydell was referring to former Chicago Alderman Ed Burke, who also had a real estate tax firm. Burke was the city’s longest-serving alderman, representing the 14th Ward from 1969 to 2023, when he was convicted of 18 corruption charges, including racketeering, bribery and conspiracy to commit extortion.
Solis also testified at Burke’s trial and served as a cooperating witness for the government. Solis represented the city’s 25th Ward from 1996 to 2019.
Solis is expected to face cross-examination from Madigan’s defense attorneys on Monday.
