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* Last night from Jason Meisner…
A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the unsealing of a court filing containing excerpts of grand jury testimony by Tim Mapes, the former chief of staff to House Speaker Michael Madigan who was indicted last year on obstruction of justice charges.
The order by U.S. District Judge John Lee came after Mapes’ attorney, Andrew Porter, filed a motion to dismiss under seal last week out of “an abundance of caution,” since grand jury testimony typically is kept secret.
But since the charges against Mapes are directly related to that testimony, both Porter and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz on Tuesday agreed that what is contained in the defense motion can be made public. Lee directed the clerk of the U.S. District Court to unseal the motion, but the filing was still not visible on the docket as of Tuesday evening.
Mapes, 66, of Springfield, has pleaded not guilty to lying to a grand jury investigating sprawling corruption allegations against Madigan, including an alleged scheme by utility giant Commonwealth Edison to bribe Madigan by paying his associates as lobbyists and consultants in exchange for the speaker’s help with legislation in Springfield.
* Today…
Mapes argues that these exchanges before the grand jury were "fundamentally ambiguous" and should be tossed from the indictment against him. pic.twitter.com/QGwYNTvKNf
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) April 6, 2022
Same here with "episode 6" (left) and a portion of his argument against it (right). pic.twitter.com/Zkbu9×9Ty6
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) April 6, 2022
This paragraph appears to contain some of the previously undisclosed (but not very enlightening) detail about what happened in the grand jury. pic.twitter.com/arX1qiS1pi
— Jon Seidel (@SeidelContent) April 6, 2022
That last bit is pretty important as far as semantics and legalese go, but, man, everyone should’ve known that McClain was still doing tasks for Madigan after McClain “retired.” Most of us didn’t think anything of it at the time, but still.
*** UPDATE *** Click here for the full document.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:35 am
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Noted.
Comment by Ace Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:48 am
The level of shock and outrage a lot of these longtime MM guys are demonstrating at an attempt to hold them accountable will never cease to be a source of amusement for me.
Comment by SWSider Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 9:51 am
MJM’s detail guy who supposedly knew everything and had a great memory. this is from Rich’s article on May 30, 2021
“Tim Mapes was infamous for making it his business to know everything and never seemed to forget anything. He was a detail guy and had a voracious appetite for news and gossip”
He was reduced to “I don’t recall” answers.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:03 am
This is going to come down to whether the government can show that Mapes knowingly made any false material declaration in front of the grand jury. Its hard to prove whether someone actually recalled something or not. To quote the former Mayor, Richard M. Daley, “I don’t know what I knew.”
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:19 am
To twelve jurors who don’t know McClain by reputation, don’t understand how MJM’s capitol worked, this may well come off as the prosecution overreaching
Comment by High Socks Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:33 am
He was told by a judge before he testified not to lie but he did anyway. All to protect Madigan. Sick stuff
Comment by Watchful eye. Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:40 am
I never know what to think about people giving the “I don’t recall” answer. On the one hand, it’s a convenient non-answer (and makes the guy look guilty). On the other hand, there’s a chance it is a legit response.
If I think back to my work situation 5 years ago, I can remember some things but a lot of it is vague. Who said what in a meeting? Was that conference in Peoria or Champaign? Was this before or after Jones retired? It is literally difficult to recall lots of stuff.
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 10:40 am
7 of 650 query’s were “alledgedly” perjurious.
Comment by flea Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:45 am
If this is all the government has, it does seem weak. But it is Mr. Mapes’s own motion. The government may have a lot of evidence that shows in context that these statements were not true and Mr. Mapes knew they were not true.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 11:45 am
If you are asked the same question several times and your responses are slightly different, did you commit perjury?
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 12:41 pm
I have no interest in defending Madigan or Mapes but that strikes me as an extremely weak perjury case. Very, very weak.
Comment by slow down Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 12:59 pm
It appears the Assistant US Attorney could have done a better job of questioning Mapes.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 2:53 pm
To the update, and to the post,
So much of what is, or isn’t, being said in these excerpts specifically… you can’t feign not knowing and build a career around being all-knowing.
Tough way to frame yourself as unknowing in the know.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Apr 6, 22 @ 4:59 pm