Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in federal court on Oct. 21, 2024. (Illustration by Cheryl Cook)

When Michael McClain approached his longtime friend and political ally Michael Madigan in August 2018 about an alleged plan to make and conceal payments to a recently fired staffer during the #MeToo movement, the House speaker said he “oughta stay out of it.”

Jurors on Monday heard more about McClain’s alleged plan to arrange under-the-table payments to Kevin Quinn, one of the speaker’s employees who’d recently been fired after he’d been accused of sexually harassing another staffer.

Madigan, 82, and his longtime confidant McClain, 77, are charged with racketeering, bribery and wire fraud. They have each pleaded not guilty. The former House speaker is alleged to have orchestrated multiple corruption schemes, wielding his significant political power to enrich himself and reward loyal allies.

Quinn, who’d long worked as an aide for the speaker, was accused in early 2018 of repeatedly making unwanted advances to Democratic Party of Illinois staffer, Alaina Hampton. Hours before Hampton went public with her story, Madigan fired Quinn.

Prosecutors have alleged McClain then arranged for multiple people in Madigan’s orbit to make consulting payments to Quinn because he was unable to find a job after his termination. The plan, McClain explained in wiretapped phone conversations played for jurors, was for Madigan allies to sign Quinn to work contracts that would see him paid $1,000 a month.

In exchange, Quinn would be assigned to write up a report on a handful of state and local legislators that could be presented as work product to present to the IRS in case of an investigation.

But when McClain called Madigan to present this idea on Aug. 29 2018, Madigan said he didn’t want to hear any details.

“Yeah, I think I oughta stay out of it,” Madigan said in a recorded phone call played for jurors in court, “that’s what I think.”

“OK, I’ll take care of it,” McClain replied.

Quinn’s brother, 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn, likewise told McClain in another recorded phone conversation that same day that he would “rather stay in the dark” about the plan.

Madigan’s former issues director Will Cousineau previously testified he was “incredibly concerned” by McClain’s pitch, but McClain promised to keep a tight lid on the plan, telling him in one call that “as far as I’m concerned, except for the people that are signing on, no one else even knows about it except for our friend” — a reference to Madigan.

Earlier on Monday, Cousineau concluded his testimony, which spread across four separate days on the witness stand.

On cross examination, Cousineau — who spent nearly two decades working with Madigan in Springfield — said that when the time came to leave the speaker’s office and move into private lobbying, he was not gifted a job through his Madigan connections.

Cousineau testified that Madigan never made any job recommendations for him and that although he did interview at ComEd and McClain did assist him in that process, he ultimately turned them down because their offer was “inadequate.”

“Did Mike McClain ever say anything to you to suggest that getting you a job at ComEd … was a lock?” McClain’s attorney Patrick Cotter asked.

“No sir,” Cousineau replied.

“(Did McClain) ever suggest that if you did get a job at ComEd, you wouldn't have to do any work?” Cotter asked.

“No sir,” Cousineau answered.

Cousineau testified that it was not uncommon for lobbyists to assist in crafting legislation in Springfield and that he couldn’t recall Madigan ever taking a stance on any bill that he viewed as contrary to the speaker’s political interests.

Prosecutors have alleged Madigan and McClain worked in lockstep to help pass energy legislation in Springfield in exchange for ComEd taking on Madigan allies in subcontractor roles that required little or no actual work.

Cousineau also told jurors Madigan never made any statements to him suggesting the speaker owed “some sort of loyalty or duty” to ComEd, nor did he take any actions as speaker in exchange for jobs.