* Tribune…
Chicago Ald. Daniel Solis had been secretly cooperating with the FBI for more than a year when he received an unexpected voicemail that surely caught the attention of agents listening in from the wire room.
“Danny, it’s Mike Madigan,” said the unmistakable voice on the June 2017 message. “Would you call?” […]
“I think they understand they’ve got some issues that they still have to deal with me in terms of zoning,” Solis on the June 23, 2017, call, which was played in court.
“I think they understand how this works, you know, the quid pro quo, the quid pro quo.”
Madigan sounded a bit caught off guard by the remark, but answered “OK.”
On Monday, nearly 7 ½ years after that conversation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur asked Solis why he’d used the phrase “quid pro quo” in the call.
“I don’t know,” Solis said after a pause. “It was dumb.”
“Say that again, please?” MacArthur asked, one of many times she asked Solis to keep his voice up during his hours on the stand Monday.
“I thought it was too blunt but basically what I was trying to say was we could have this meeting and he could probably get business from them, and I could work on the zoning,”
Solis testified that his FBI contacts hadn’t instructed him to use the phrase. But according to testimony from Special Agent Ryan McDonald last week, Solis was carrying out directions to give Madigan the impression that the alderman’s approval of necessary zoning changes was contingent on the developers hiring the speaker’s law firm.
* Sun-Times…
In another phone call five days later, Madigan is heard asking Solis: “I’m going to see you tomorrow? … Could you come a little early?”
That was a reference to the meeting with Union West, set for July 18.
“Maybe you and I could talk before we meet with them,” Madigan suggested.
They did meet early, behind a closed door, and Madigan brought up Solis’ comment about a “quid pro quo” that MacArthur had asked him about earlier Monday.
“You shouldn’t be talking like that,” Madigan is heard saying, very quietly. “You’re just recommending.”
[J]urors also heard Solis ask Madigan to keep discussions about the Chinatown development on "the QT."
When MacArthur asked him why he wanted to keep the issue quiet, Solis explained he was worried then-Republican Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and other Illinois Republicans might use it as political ammo against Chicago Democrats.
"I didn't want people, especially in Rauner's camp, to think this was something they could do against Democratic aldermen in the city," Solis said on the stand.
Solis will likely speak more about the Chinatown deal on Tuesday. He has been on the stand since late Thursday afternoon, though there were no trial proceedings on Friday. His testimony is expected to last several days at least.
I may never get over the way one of the biggest goofs in the history of Illinois politics manipulated one of the sharpest operators in the history of Illinois politics into ticking-off the elements of the crime.
ReplyDeleteOn tape.
The Greeks might have been on to something with that whole "hubris" thing.
-- MrJM
Hubris indeed. Solis was a walking train wreck well before Madigan contacted him as the testimony indicates. It was breath-takingly stupid of MJM to be any where close to Danny Solis. I'm sure he sees that now, and all for a little side business.
ReplyDeleteSolis is a horrible person. After the defense is through with him, that will be clear to the jury. But he was able to get Madigan on tape with very incriminating documentation. All the mud in the world is not going to obscure those tapes.
===Madigan sounded a bit caught off guard by the remark, but answered “OK.”===
ReplyDeleteI listened to that audio a few times and that's definitely not what I thought.
Forgot to post the link: https://soundcloud.com/chicago-tribune/telephone-conversation-between-michael-madigan-and-daniel-solis-on-june-23-2017
DeleteI used to be strongly opposed to term limits, but now am reconsidering. They may be necessary to save leaders from themselves and their own hubris as described so very well above by MrJM and 47th Ward.
ReplyDelete- I listened to that audio a few times and that's definitely not what I thought. -
ReplyDeleteAgreed, he seems absolutely fine with it.
=But he was able to get Madigan on tape with very incriminating documentation. All the mud in the world is not going to obscure those tapes=
ReplyDeleteTribune points out that MJM was not tricked by Solis; rather he actively walked in this trouble. MJM affirmatively reached out to Solis to enrich himself. Solis didn't solicit him.
Out-of-the-blue request from Madigan sparked new direction in corruption probe, ex-Ald. Solis testifies
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/25/michael-madigan-corruption-trial-daniel-solis-witness/?clearUserState=true
Is it any wonder the property tax system is so screwed up in this state? Politician after politician involved in the property tax appeal biz.
ReplyDelete