USA vs. Timothy Mapes
Timothy Mapes served for decades as the chief of staff to then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. He is accused of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice for an alleged bid to block the feds’ Madigan investigation.
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 of Springfield insider Michael McClain.
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.
Defense attorneys also revealed 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.
Illinois has paid out millions in pension payments to former legislators who have admitted criminal wrongdoing or are awaiting trial.
The motion from Timothy Mapes’ attorneys also gives the slightest additional peek at what took place in front of the grand jury that was looking into Michael Madigan. The former speaker has since been charged with racketeering conspiracy.
The charges against Timothy Mapes brought federal prosecutors closer than ever to Michael Madigan, who has been implicated in a bribery scheme involving ComEd but has not been charged. He denies wrongdoing.
The charges bring the feds closer than ever to Madigan, who has not been criminally charged and denies wrongdoing. It also lifts the curtain slightly on a grand jury drilling deep into Illinois politics.
Some of Maggie Hickey’s harshest criticisms were of Tim Mapes, who became Madigan’s chief of staff in 1991; most of those interviewed, she said, “agreed that Mr. Mapes commonly threatened people’s jobs or reminded them that they were dispensable.”
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 his longtime chief of staff, Tim Mapes, would say in front of a grand jury.
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.
His lawyers say he testified truthfully for hours in response to questions from prosecutors who asked more than 650 questions.
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