The Latest Breaking News from Tim Mapes

The email and others appeared to underscore the feds’ contention that Tim Mapes was well aware of a federal investigation and its key points before he wound up in front of the grand jury and drew a blank on some questions.

Agent Brendan O’Leary told jurors that Michael Madigan depended on “his tight inner-circle,” which is why the FBI was so interested in hearing what Madigan’s longtime chief of staff, Tim Mapes, would say in front of a grand jury.

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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz has signaled one witness will likely be former state Rep. Greg Harris, who was secretly recorded by the FBI speaking with a longtime Madigan ally about becoming majority leader.

Tim Mapes goes on trial Monday on charges of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice for his alleged bid to block the criminal investigation of the former House speaker and Springfield insider Michael McClain.

His lawyers say he testified truthfully for hours in response to questions from prosecutors who asked more than 650 questions. Starting Monday, he faces trial for perjury.

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.

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.”

Former ComEd exec had been questioned over three days by federal prosecutors as they detailed the many ways the company allegedly tried to bribe former House Speaker Michael Madigan to benefit ComEd.

“I understand we have a lot of people walking around trying to find things to complain about,” Madigan is heard saying at the meeting. “Every once in a while, the speaker gets to do what he wants to do.”