Former Chief of Staff to Illinois House Speaker Convicted of Perjury and Obstruction
A federal jury in Chicago has reached a verdict in the trial of Tim Mapes, a former chief of staff to long-serving Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Mapes has been found guilty of lying under oath to a grand jury and attempting to obstruct justice in an effort to protect his once-powerful boss, who is facing multiple corruption charges set for trial next year.
Tim Mapes, aged 68, had served as the chief of staff for the Democratic Party for nearly two decades. The jury found him guilty on one count of perjury and one count of attempted obstruction of justice. The latter charge alone carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, while the perjury count could lead to a maximum of five years behind bars.
This conviction has significant implications for the 81-year-old Madigan, who had been an influential state legislative leader for decades. Madigan was widely considered untouchable due to his intelligence, caution, and extensive network of connections. However, in 2022, he was indicted on charges including racketeering and bribery.
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Following three weeks of testimony, the jury deliberated for approximately five hours before delivering the verdict on Thursday afternoon. Mapes, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, remained emotionless as the verdict was read aloud. He left the courthouse without making any statements to the press. The sentencing is scheduled for January 10, as decided by U.S. District Judge John Kness.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Mapes had repeatedly lied during his testimony before a grand jury in 2021, which was investigating not only Madigan but others as well. The key lie was his denial of any relevant information concerning Madigan’s association with Michael McClain, a close confidant of Madigan. Testimony from a legislator revealed that Madigan, Mapes, and McClain formed a powerful trio in the Illinois House, exercising control over the passage of legislative bills.
The government’s case rested on wiretapped phone conversations and audio recordings of Mapes’ grand jury testimony. Prosecutor Julia Schwartz, during her closing arguments, stated that Mapes had done everything in his power to obstruct the investigative process, minimizing his involvement and pretending ignorance.
Defense lawyer Katie Hill, in her opening statement, contended that Mapes did not deliberately mislead the grand jury but rather struggled to recall specific details. She likened the situation to a pop quiz at a high school reunion, asking jurors if they could remember intricate details from their past. Another defense attorney, Andrew Porter, emphasized that Mapes had no incentive to protect Madigan, who had forced him to resign in 2018 amid harassment allegations that Mapes vehemently denied.
Earlier in May, federal jurors had convicted four individuals of a bribery conspiracy involving a major electric utility in the state. Prosecutors argued that McClain, two former ComEd executives, and a former utility consultant had orchestrated contracts, jobs, and financial benefits for Madigan’s associates in exchange for support on bills favoring ComEd’s profits.
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A year before his indictment, Madigan resigned from the Legislature, ending his tenure as the longest-serving state House speaker in modern U.S. history. The indictment implicated Madigan in benefiting from illicitly directed legal work to his law firm. He has consistently maintained his innocence amidst these allegations.
