Peoria Standard

Michael McClain, a defendant in the federal prosecution of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, has requested a separate trial from Madigan. McClain, a former state lawmaker and ComEd lobbyist closely associated with Madigan, filed this request due to concerns that Madigan’s defense team plans to blame him for any wrongdoing.

“McClain respectfully seeks severance of his case from Co-Defendant Michael Madigan because a joint trial will result in such prejudice to Mr. McClain that his fundamental due process right to a fair trial will be denied,” defense attorneys wrote in a motion before Judge John Blakey.

In an 11-page motion, McClain’s defense attorney Patrick Cotter indicated that the details of Madigan’s plans were redacted but emphasized the necessity for separate trials. “The Madigan Second Prosecutors’ defense theory logically precludes and excludes Mr. McClain’s theory of defense, making it necessary for the jury to reject one or the other to find either Defendant not guilty,” Cotter wrote. He added that this situation could lead the jury to choose between the two defenses rather than determining if the government has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Madigan served in the Illinois House from 1971 to 2021 and as speaker from 1983 to 1995 and again from 1997 to 2021. He faces 23 counts of racketeering, bribery, and official misconduct as part of a federal indictment and has pleaded not guilty.

Initially charged along with convicted former lawmaker and lobbyist Michael McClain in March 2022 with 22 counts of racketeering and bribery related to dealings with ComEd, prosecutors later alleged that Madigan used his political power unlawfully for business benefits at his private law firm. In October 2022, prosecutors filed an additional indictment charging both men with conspiracy involving AT&T Illinois.

The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA) recently released a report criticizing “Illinois’ poor economic performance.” The report compared Illinois' economy using four key metrics: Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Total Nonfarm Payroll Employment, Unemployment Rate, and Total Personal Income.

According to CGFA's findings:

- Illinois' GDP growth was only 2.8% post-COVID-19 shutdowns, ranking it 46th among states.

- The state's nonfarm payroll job growth was just above pre-COVID levels at only 0.2%, placing it at rank 45.

- The unemployment rate stood at 4.9% in May 2024, higher than the national average of 4%, ranking Illinois at position 47.

- Personal income growth lagged behind national trends at a rate of 3.7%, ranking it also at position number forty-six since COVID-19 disruptions began.

CGFA operates under a bipartisan commission tasked with performing economic research on behalf of the Illinois General Assembly.

Additionally, data from June shows an increase in Illinois' unemployment rate by +0.1 percentage point to reach five percent while nonfarm payrolls increased by +10,400 jobs according to preliminary data provided by U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Industry sectors experiencing job gains included Private Education and Health Services (+7,100), Trade Transportation Utilities (+3,200), Government (+2 ,800). Conversely Leisure Hospitality (-1 ,800), Information (-1 ,100), Professional Business Services (-1 ,000) saw declines . Nationally reported rates stood at four-point-one percent marking slight increases month-over-month .

Unemployed workers numbered three-hundred-twenty-seven thousand nine hundred representing rises both monthly annually labor force showed similar upward trends reflecting those actively seeking employment despite benefit eligibility exhaustion .

The upcoming Paris Summer Olympic Games starting July twenty-six concluding August eleven feature twenty-seven Olympic nine Paralympic athletes hailing across varied disciplines representing United States globally highlighting regional talent achievements .

State Representative Ryan Spain launched eighth annual Summer Reading Club Program encouraging grade school students K-Fifth residing within seventy-third House District engage literary activities promoting lifelong literacy benefits distributing brochures through schools online resources providing incentives special recognition prize submissions deadline July thirty-first overlapping library programs fostering community-wide educational participation initiatives ensuring readiness ensuing academic year .