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* Mark Brown…
Just before 7 a.m. Friday, only a few hours before federal authorities took the wraps off their big investigation of Commonwealth Edison and House Speaker Mike Madigan, the doorbell rang at the McKinley Park home of state Rep. Theresa Mah.
Mah was awake but still in bed. Her husband was up and just starting to make coffee.
She assumed it was a delivery driver and shouted to her husband to get the door, but he was already on the way to answer the intercom.
“Who is it?” he asked.
“FBI,” came the answer. They asked to speak to Mah.
That will wake you up in a hurry.
I got this story directly from Mah, a Democrat completing her second term in the Illinois House. She told it in the way that only a person with a clear conscience can tell it.
Go read the whole thing, but the bottom line is Rep. Mah opposed legislation to transfer state land on behalf of a Chinatown developer, as did IDOT. The developer hired a Statehouse lobbyist, but the legislation never advanced out of Rules Committee. Madigan could’ve stuck it in the BIMP, but he didn’t do it. I’m really not sure what the heck the feds are supposed to be looking at here. I mean, there could’ve been a quid, but there is not yet a discernible quo because the developer’s bill didn’t move an inch. Stay tuned.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:21 am
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The only thing I can think of is the bill didn’t move because the lobbyist was on the outs with Madigan and Co. Perhaps they asked the lobbyist for donations or a favor and when the lobbyist did not provide, they did not assist.
Comment by City Guy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:32 am
Is this the FBI version of being bi-partisan, after a morning raid on a GOP House Speaker? A 3 AM chat that couldn’t wait a few hours?
Comment by VerySmallRocks Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:36 am
Maybe the Feds can’t figure out how the “positive” works, reversing the process to how things get “bricks” or can’t move might show “process” in a different light.
To the FBI,
They already know the answer, don’t think you can tell them a different “truth”.
Honesty isn’t only the best policy, it’s the only way to keep yourself from learning more of the powers the FBI and Feds can use against you.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:37 am
So a GOP powerbroker lobbyist tries to work a deal with a DEM freshman to work an angle with the Speaker. The freshman balks, the angle fails, the deal falls apart, and its PROOF of Madigan corruption in the public narrative. Seems to me more like tying up loose ends than a smoke/fire situation.
Comment by gfalkes Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:38 am
7am, my bad. Still kind of interesting.
Comment by VerySmallRocks Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:42 am
==I’m really not sure what the heck the feds are supposed to be looking at here.==
That’s for them to know, and you to find out about.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:42 am
Some background on that land. IDOT had it hoping to extend the Chinatown feeder to lower wacker.
With the probable dormant shift to work at home my guess is those parking lots are a decline in value.
Comment by Not a Billionaire Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:46 am
In spite of her knowing that she did nothing wrong, she should have told them that she’d be happy to meet with them with a lawyer in an office at a mutually convenient time. This type of ambush by the FBI can be used to pressure someone later. A person can be charged with lying to a federal agent. There is a reason they showed up unannounced so early in the morning. They have an agenda and wanted the surprise and fear. I’m not suggesting that she did anything wrong or has anything to hide but interactions with federal agents must be done properly.
Comment by Trapped in the ‘burbs Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:48 am
everybody needs to understand that the Speaker is the target of a federal investigation. When news leaked that a member of the Illinois Senate was wearing a wire, people acted accordingly. How is this any different? How can anybody interact in any way with madigan and not be concerned that they are being watched or listened to? Well, you are! if you’re not ok with that, do something about it. Its time for madigan to step down, and to allow for normal operations with people who are not the target of a massive federal bribery investigation.
Comment by 32nd warder Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 10:50 am
Agree with Trapped. Geez, even with Gen Flynn the FBI met and interviewed him at his office, that’s more respect then they gave the Rep.
Comment by Annoyed Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:00 am
Content of the article aside, how did this story come about? My assumption is that Mah reached out. I’m not sure what good that does her other than get her name in the headlines.
Comment by TrickQuestion Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:08 am
The FBI may have a method to the madness. Make unannounced early morning visits to each house member’s home and yell “FBI” when the rep asks “who is it”? Next door neighbors hear it and start spreading rumors. “OMG, the FBI came to Representative So and So’s house”. Maybe some of it will make its way to the neighborhood Facebook’s. Now I don’t know about you, but if I were a state rep and that happened to me I wouldn’t be very happy with Michael J Madigan. The FBI is too powerful to be angry at.
Comment by Frumpy white guy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:09 am
Trapped in the Burbs is 100% right. The only correct response to a knock on the door at 7 am is “this is my home, it is early in the morning and if you call my lawyer he would be more than happy to set up a meeting at a mutually convenient time.”
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:13 am
why not tell them you’ll be happy to talk with them when they return in 90 minutes?
Comment by jim Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:27 am
Annoyed -Big difference the FBI was after Flynn they appear not to be after the representative they are after a big fish and are probably just tying up any potential loss ends. The element of surprise keeps people from putting together a cover up story.
Comment by Arock Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:28 am
Never meet alone. The reason there are always 2 agents is one can be a ‘prover’. The person being questioned should always insist on having his or her own ‘prover’, preferably a lawyer.
Comment by northsider (the original) Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:35 am
If you talk to any law-in-enforcement have an attorney present and assume they know the answer already. Lie to them and go to jail.
Comment by Nieva Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:37 am
Her meeting with the FBI under these conditions tells us all we need to know abut her credibility. She has nothing to hide. I suppose I would have asked to tape the encounter or wait to meet later with a lawyer but again, she clearly has nothing to hide.
Comment by Nagidam Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:40 am
@TrickQ - the answer there is simple. If you’re an elected and visited by the feds and told you’re not a target, literally the best PR play is to leak it so you control the narrative and the rumor mill doesn’t eat you alive.
Comment by Eloy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 11:48 am
–Just before 7 a.m. Friday, only a few hours before federal authorities took the wraps off their big investigation of Commonwealth Edison and House Speaker Mike Madigan–
The “why” on the timing is right there in the article. They wanted to get the stories pinned down before everything else went public, and people started talking to each other about what they read. I admit that doesn’t address why they didn’t just reach out to her before, though.
Comment by Ron Burgundy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:05 pm
It will be interesting to see if any of the lobbyists implicated in this have their client lists shrink after the unwanted publicity.
Comment by Larry Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:12 pm
Listen to law professor James J. Duane and never talk to LEO’s
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mvkgnp/law-professor-police-interrogation-law-constitution-survival
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:14 pm
Allowing to be interviewed at a later time and date with a lawyer present is the only way to go. Anything else is foolish.
Also, since she does not appear to be a target, the FBI may have just given some of its more recent agents some practice at this sort of tactic.
Comment by Original Rambler Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:32 pm
“Just before 7 a.m. Friday, only a few hours before federal authorities took the wraps off their big investigation of Commonwealth Edison and House Speaker Mike Madigan, the doorbell rang at the McKinley Park home of state Rep. Theresa Mah.”
Come back with coffee and a warrant.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:47 pm
Frumpy white guy has it right
Comment by John on the spot Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 12:49 pm
It’s been reported that the first words heard by the neighbor was “OH MAH GOD”. Not confirmed.
Comment by Sayitaintso Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:25 pm
While I’m sure the representative has nothing to hide I can already see the mailers against her in the next cycle based on that visit.
Comment by Glass half full Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:42 pm
=== I can already see the mailers against her in the next cycle based on that visit.===
Really? Who is going to be that candidate… in the primary?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:45 pm
Even if you have nothing to hide, don’t just speak to the FBI in _an_ office, make sure it is the FBI’s office, with an attorney. They ambush people at home so that if something incriminating does come out, they can get around Miranda requirements by claiming you were not in custody. It’s harder for them to make that argument if you are in an FBI office (not impossible, just more difficult).
Comment by Leslie K Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:47 pm
“”The only thing I can think of is the bill didn’t move because the lobbyist was on the outs with Madigan and Co. “”
Please try a little harder.
Comment by walker Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 1:54 pm
@Arock - that’s my point, something called the 5th Amendment that the Feds are tactfully trying the get around by pulling moves like this. If I was the Rep I’d be pretty mad right now at the Feds for this stunt.
Comment by Annoyed Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:34 pm
If you have never watched the movie Richard Jewell please do so. It is amazing how devastatingly corrupt the Fed’s were in their effort to frame this guy. They love it when you think their on your side. Please do not trust them.
Comment by Ima Scarid Wednesday, Jul 22, 20 @ 2:53 pm