CHICAGO (WLS) — It is week 11 in Michael Madigan’s bribery trial.
The government on Monday called to the stand a former legislator, who has already served prison time himself.
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The former Illinois House speaker is being accused of using his influence to secure two well-paying contracts for Eddie Acevedo, without requiring Acevedo to carry out any work.
Former state Rep. Acevedo took the stand as a witness Monday afternoon.
Eddie Acevedo, a political ally of the ex-Speaker Madigan, is an unwilling witness, having made efforts to block the subpoena compelling his testimony, albeit unsuccessfully.
On Monday morning, Acevedo patiently awaited the opening of the handicap accessible doors at the Dirksen Federal Courthouse. Following this, he spent several additional hours before finally testifying.
Acevedo served six months in prison for tax evasion in 2022, and is being given immunity in exchange for his testimony.
Mike Madigan trial live updates: Former state Rep. Acevedo to testify in ex-speaker trial
The government alleges the former assistant majority leader, who left the general assembly in 2017, used his relationship with Madigan to receive two no-work contracts: one from ComEd and one from AT&T, worth over $140,000.
Those contracts, prosecutors say, were bribes given in exchange for the speaker’s legislative help in Springfield.
On the stand earlier, former Madigan aide and AT&T contract lobbyist Tom Cullen, whose contract Acevedo was under, testified he never saw any real work from Acevedo, saying that a report he had been assigned to write “was just kind of a joke.”
Acevedo’s testimony continued Monday evening, and will continue into Tuesday, when the government might rest its case against Madigan.
Madigan and co-defendant McClain face bribery and racketeering charges.
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