Federal prosecutors will continue to make their case Thursday that Michael Madigan’s longtime chief of staff lied under oath in 2021, after they highlighted three of his allegedly false answers for a jury in opening statements.
Tim Mapes served for two decades as a top aide to Madigan, Illinois’ once-powerful former House speaker. When called in March 2021 to appear before a grand jury that had been investigating Madigan, the feds say Mapes lied on seven occasions.
Meanwhile, Mapes’ defense attorneys note that he actually testified for hours in front of that grand jury, fielding more than 650 questions from two prosecutors. Mapes’ allegedly false answers revolved around work done for Madigan by another Springfield insider, Michael McClain.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur highlighted three of Mapes’ alleged lies during opening statements on Wednesday:
- Asked whether McClain had ever given him insight into his interactions with Madigan, Mapes said, “No, that wouldn’t — that wouldn’t happen.”
- Asked whether McClain shared what he’d been discussing with Madigan or anything he was doing “on behalf” of Madigan around 2017, 2018 or 2019, Mapes said, “No.”
- Asked if Mapes knew whether McClain performed tasks or assignments for Madigan between 2017 and 2018, Mapes said, “I don’t recall any.”
MacArthur said those were each lies. In particular, she noted that the second exchange could have led to Mapes discussing interactions between McClain and Madigan in any one of three years.
“This was not a question that was asked about a specific day,” MacArthur said. “… This was a basic question about any communications.”
And that could undermine the defense offered by Mapes’ attorneys Wednesday — that Mapes basically faced a pop quiz about specific events that had happened years earlier.
Prosecutors called two witnesses as testimony got underway Wednesday. They were former state Rep. Greg Harris and lobbyist Tom Cullen. Others expected to be called include former Madigan aide Will Cousineau, state Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita and onetime Acting U.S. Attorney Gary Shapiro.
The trial is expected to last no more than three weeks. Mapes is charged with perjury and attempted obstruction of justice for an alleged bid to block the feds’ aggressive investigation of Madigan.
McClain was convicted along with three othersearlier this year for a conspiracy to bribe Madigan. He and Madigan also face trial in April in a separate case, in which each man is charged with a racketeering conspiracy.