(The Center Square) – One of Michael Madigan’s former chiefs of staff provided testimony at the former Illinois House speaker’s bribery and racketeering trial.
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain separately enter the federal court building in Chicago facing corruption charges, Dec. 4, 2024.
Jessica Basham testified under government subpoena Wednesday. Basham served as chief of staff in the speaker’s office from 2018 to 2021. Previously, Basham worked as a research analyst for the Illinois House Democratic Staff from 2003-2013 and as Research and Appropriations director for the Illinois House Democratic Caucus from 2013 to 2018.
Basham testified that she had communications in late 2018 and early 2019 with Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker’s office about state board recommendations from Madigan’s office. Government attorney Sarah Streicker introduced a memorandum from Basham in which she indicated that she sent information to Pritzker’s special assistant, Nikki Budzinski, who now serves as U.S. representative for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District.
Streicker introduced emails from Basham to Budzinski and Anne Caprara, who was Pritzker’s campaign manager and future chief of staff, with personnel recommendations for the governor-elect’s administration and transition team. Basham said she prepared the emails as directed by Madigan. Basham said an updated list of the speaker’s personnel recommendations to Pritzker from July 8, 2019, included 85 names.
Emails between Basham and Caprara involved the planning of weekly meetings between Madigan and Pritzker. Streicker displayed Basham’s notes from a meeting with the speaker and the governor-elect in Chicago on Dec. 4, 2018, which included a list of policy objectives. The top five items were: progressive tax, minimum wage, cannabis bill, campaign rhetoric-public option to buy into Medicaid, and sports betting.
Basham also listed Madigan’s ideas to reconstitute state boards and commissions and raise salaries for directors. Basham said the idea was to “wipe out” existing board members and replace them with new members to be appointed by the new governor. Pritzker beat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the 2018 election.
Basham said she had no involvement with fundraising and did not directly campaign for Madigan. Basham also said she did not work for the Democratic Party of Illinois while she worked in the speaker’s office. Basham said that her predecessor as chief of staff, Tim Mapes, was a top staff person for the Democratic Party of Illinois while he also served as Madigan’s chief of staff.
On Feb. 12, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge John Kness sentenced Mapes to 30 months in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice for lying to a grand jury investigating Madigan and others.
In cross-examination with Madigan attorney Dan Collins, Basham said she has stayed in touch with Madigan and considers him a friend. Basham said, “I don’t think anybody works harder than Mike Madigan.”
Basham said there were times when state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, was somewhat inactive, and the speaker wanted Rita to be “more robust” in his discussions about gaming legislation.
Prosecutors played a recording of a conversation between Madigan and Basham on March 25, 2019.
Telephone conversation between Michael Madigan and Jessica Basham DATE: March 25, 2019
“So, would you talk to Rita again and make sure that he understands that he should be an active participant in the discussion?” Madigan asked.
“OK,” Basham said.
Madigan addressed the issue a second time during the same call.
“So, you see, if we just let Zalewski put on a sports betting show, well, then we’re gonna bring on another problem. All the pro-gaming people are gonna say, ‘What’s this all about?’ So, yeah, have a conversation with Rita and make sure he understands that he just can’t sit there like a bump on a log. OK?” Madigan asked.
“Yep. I’ll talk to him,” Basham answered.
Madigan mentioned state Rep. Chris Welch, D-Hillside, who replaced Madigan as speaker in 2021, when he talked again with Basham a few minutes later.
Telephone conversation between Michael Madigan and Jessica Basham DATE: March 25, 2019
“This is a mechanical question to be addressed by Chris Welch. Now, does Chris Welch want to sit there and chair an Executive Committee that listens to all the gaming bills or does he not? Is Rita the vice chair of the committee?” Madigan asked.
“He is,” Basham said.
“Well, then maybe what Welch wants to do is to turn over the chair to Rita for this purpose,” Madigan said.
Government attorneys played a recording of Madigan’s codefendant, Michael McClain, cautioning Rita about gaming-related communications on May 16, 2018.
Telephone conversation between Michael McClain and Bob Rita DATE: May 16, 2018
“This whole thing is millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars, so the feds are gonna look at it no matter what,” McClain said.
“Yeah,” Rita said.
“I think we just have to be real careful,” McClain said.
In a call recorded on Nov. 2, 2018, McClain explained his role.
Telephone Conversation between Michael McClain and Thomas Manion DATE: November 2, 2018
“I’m sort of Madigan’s agent … like these hearings that are going on that Bob Rita’s running, I’m guiding Bob on those hearings,” McClain explained.
Rita testified at the trial for about 10 minutes on Oct. 24, but has not returned.
Alliant Insurance Services Senior Vice President Jennifer Gavelek followed Basham on the witness stand Wednesday afternoon.
Government attorney Amar Bhachu asked Gavelek about Andrew Madigan, her colleague at Alliant and the son of the former speaker.
Gavelek said she came to know one of her clients, The Resurrection Project, through Andrew Madigan. Last week, prosecutors played a recording of former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis promising to follow up with The Resurrection Project after Michael Madigan told him that the group didn’t return Andrew’s calls after an initial meeting set up by Solis.
Gavelek reviewed Alliant records and testified about the commissions payable to Andrew Madigan and to Alliant. Gavelek testified that Alliant’s revenues from The Resurrection Project were $216,625 over a period of several years, and the commissions to Andrew Madigan totaled about $43,000. Gavelek said Alliant collected gross premiums of $1.1 million from The Resurrection Project over a three-year period.
Prosecutors suggested that they planned to call Budzinski to testify next Monday. Government attorney Amar Bhachu said Wednesday morning that the government had been working to schedule Budzinski’s testimony so she would not miss any U.S. House votes in Washington.
Prosecutors also suggested that the government expected to rest its case next week. Madigan attorney Todd Pugh said the defense team did plan to issue subpoenas, but he did not offer details.
Madigan and McClain have pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct.
United States of America v. Madigan et al is scheduled to resume Thursday at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago.
Brett Rowland contributed to this story.
