The Latest Breaking News from Michael McClain

A federal prosecutor has told jurors that evidence would show a former chief of staff to longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan lied to a grand jury to protect his boss

Defense attorneys argued that Tim Mapes did not lie to a grand jury in 2021 but didn’t know or couldn’t remember the answers to certain questions he was asked under oath.

Three years to the day after a bribery case unveiled against Commonwealth Edison blew the lid off the investigation into then-House Speaker Michael Madigan, a federal judge dismissed the charges against the utility giant as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. attorney’s office.

The dismissal means ComEd no longer faces criminal charges and avoids conviction, while others have faced prison time as a result of the investigation that targeted former state House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Details about the case against Timothy Mapes were revealed in a 65-page document filed by prosecutors early Tuesday morning, four weeks ahead of Mapes’ trial on perjury and attempted obstruction of justice charges.

They also revealed that the FBI tried to convince Tim Mapes to work as a “confidential witness” during a meeting in Springfield in February 2019. Mapes “politely declined.”

The ruling from U.S. District Judge John Kness keeps the trial of Timothy Mapes on track for Aug. 7.

Defense attorney Scott Lassar told the Chicago Sun-Times he was referring to possible rulings by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, or even the U.S. Supreme Court.

The company will not say how much it has paid to attorneys representing ex-CEO Anne Pramaggiore and VP John Hooker, but a rep says ratepayer funds are not used.