Will Cousineau worked for Madigan and the Illinois Democratic Party for more than 15 years. He referred to Madigan as the “ultimate decision maker” three different times during his testimony. After listening to a recorded conversation with former lobbyist and Madigan co-defendant Michael McClain, Cousineau confirmed that McClain was referring to Madigan when he said “real client.”

Near the end of Wednesday’s court session, prosecutors viewed emails between Cousineau and McClain about gaming legislation sponsored by state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, a Madigan ally.

U.S. government attorney Julia Schwartz asked Cousineau about legislative districts in Illinois and how district maps are redrawn every 10 years. Cousineau said Madigan is not involved in the day-to-day redistricting efforts, but Madigan does oversee what’s happening on a global level.

Cousineau described meeting with Madigan and other associates in 2014 to discuss the Fair Maps initiative, which would have allowed a nonpartisan committee to redraw districts, which Madigan opposed. The proposal would take redistricting out of the hands of incumbent lawmakers. Cousineau said he supported ComEd executive John Hooker’s efforts to block the initiative. The Illinois Supreme Court later blocked the measure from being placed on the ballot for voters to consider.

Anti-gerrymandering group Common Cause given Illinois received an “F” grade last year for a lack of public participation that routinely prevented the production of political maps that reflected the state’s demographics.

After the jury departed for lunch, Madigan defense attorney Dan Collins objected to the prosecution’s questions about legislative redistricting and campaign funds, saying they were irrelevant and posed a danger of unfair prejudice. McClain defense attorney Patrick Cotter joined the motion. Schwartz, for the prosecution, argued that the questioning was on the racketeering conspiracy count and read directly from the government’s indictment. Judge John Robert Blakey reminded prosecutors to comply with pretrial restrictive orders regarding Madigan’s control.

In defense of McClain, Cotter made an earlier motion to overrule part of Cousineau’s testimony when he said he believed McClain was with Madigan when the speaker called him about the Future Energy Jobs Act. Schwartz questioned Cousineau a second time without the jury present, noting Cousineau’s grand jury testimony on the matter. Cousineau reiterated that he had no recollection of how he knew McClain was there. Blakey agreed to put the two questions and his answers on the record.

Before the jury entered the courtroom Wednesday morning, Madigan defense attorney Todd Pugh complained to Blakey that prosecutors had strayed beyond what he thought was a narrow focus on interviews with specific witnesses.

Former Illinois Democratic Party campaign staffer Alaina Hampton, who has not yet testified, has become the “Swiss Army Knife” of a witness, Pugh said. Pugh argued that Hampton should not be allowed to testify about campaign contributions. Schwartz said he expects Hampton to testify next Monday.

In 2018, Hampton said former Madigan staffer Kevin Quinn sexually harassed her during the 2016 campaign. Hampton said he notified Madigan in a personal letter. He said he was not allowed to participate in any other political campaigns after that. Months later, he filed a discrimination lawsuit against Madigan’s political operations.

Kevin Quinn’s brother, Marty Quinn, was a longtime Madigan ally. Marty Quinn remains an alderman in Chicago’s 13th Ward.

After the allegations led to Kevin Quinn being ousted from his Democratic post, prosecutors said McClain arranged to pay Quinn. In emails McClain sent to others who sent checks totaling $30,000 to Quinn in exchange for contract work that required little or no effort, McClain told Quinn and the lobbyists who wrote the checks that the matter was confidential.

Schwartz said Wednesday morning that prosecutors agreed that Hampton’s sexual harassment allegation was not relevant, but that prosecutors would discuss their findings of misconduct. Defending Madigan, Collins said there should be no debate about Madigan’s failure to respond quickly enough to allegations of sexual harassment on the ward.

Pugh also said there is another area of ​​restraining order she is concerned about regarding State Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, should Rita return to the witness stand. Rita testified for 10 minutes last Thursday but did not return. Pugh also expressed concerns about prosecutors’ questioning of former State Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, and problems raised in recordings prosecutors played.

Blakey said he was not concerned with issues surrounding the recording but would pay attention to concerns raised by the defense about witness testimony.

Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021, as speaker from 1983 to 1995, and from 1997 to 2021. This made him one of the state’s most powerful politicians, especially given his role as chairman of the state’s Democratic party. He faces 23 counts of racketeering, bribery and official misconduct. Madigan pleaded not guilty.

In March 2022, Madigan and McClain were charged with 22 counts of racketeering and bribery for allegedly doing improper business with ComEd, the state’s largest utility.

Prosecutors also allege that Madigan used his political power to unlawfully direct business to the private law firm Madigan & Getzendanner. In October 2022, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment charging Madigan and McClain with conspiracy in connection with an alleged corruption scheme involving AT&T Illinois.

In 2020, federal prosecutors and Exelon subsidiary ComEd reached a deferred prosecution agreement. As part of the settlement, the utility admitted to paying Madigan employees $1.3 million for jobs and contracts over nine years to influence the former House speaker. ComEd agreed to pay a $200 million fine. Fidel Marquez, a former ComEd official, pleaded guilty to bribery charges in September 2020.

A jury convicted four former ComEd lobbyists and executives last year in a bribery and corruption case.

Many Illinois politicians have discussed the need for ethics reform in the legislature, but Reform for Illinois Executive Director Alisa Kaplan told The Center Square there has been little meaningful change. Kaplan said there are reasons why lawmakers sometimes don’t like ethics rules.

“It’s human nature not to want to limit yourself. We are asking legislators to set rules that could hold them criminally liable or prevent them from making money the way they want,” Kaplan said.

The trial is scheduled to continue Thursday, but Blakey said he would release jurors Thursday afternoon for Halloween. The judge said earlier this week that trials won’t start until 11 a.m. next Tuesday so jurors can vote on Election Day before arriving in court.

The courthouse will not be open on Monday, November 11 due to the Veterans Day holiday. The judge and lawyers have not publicly discussed revising the estimated 11-week trial length.