Former Madigan chief of staff found guilty on perjury charges

Tim Mapes, former chief of staff to ousted Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, was convicted on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

A federal jury convicted Tim Mapes, former chief of staff to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, on perjury and obstruction of justice charges. Mapes, who once doubled as the clerk of the Illinois House, was a linchpin in Madigan’s political apparatus.

Mapes’ indictment accused him of being a conduit between Madigan and Michael McClain, a former state lawmaker turned lobbyist for the Commonwealth Edison power utility. Mapes was charged with lying about Madigan’s relationship with McClain to a federal grand jury.

“If the defendant had been honest, he would have been a star witness,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz. “But he did everything he could to obstruct the process … to minimize his participation, to act as if he was clueless.”

This isn’t a standalone incident; it comes on the heels of other high-profile convictions in the ComEd bribery scheme, which sought to influence Madigan through kickbacks and no-show jobs for his cronies.

These series of convictions, involving key figures around Madigan and major state players such as ComEd, expose the deep-rooted corruption infecting Illinois politics. Political corruption cost Illinois $556 million per year from 2000-2018 in lost economic activity and investment.

Mapes was ousted from his position under Madigan in 2018 following harassment allegations, with a 2019 inspector general report suggesting he be barred from state employment permanently. Mapes faces up to 25 years in prison from both charges.