UPDATED: Longtime Madigan Aide Tim Mapes Indicted
Tim Mapes, the longtime Chief of Staff to former House Speaker Michael Madigan, was indicted by federal prosecutors Wednesday. Mapes is shown on the House floor in 2015. (Source: State Journal-Register)
Tim Mapes, one of the closest aides to former House Speaker Michael Madigan has been indicted by federal prosecutors. Mapes, a longtime Chief of Staff and known gatekeeper for Madigan, is charged with perjury and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors say he lied to a grand jury in March.
From the Chicago Tribune:
Mapes, 66, who was ousted by Madigan three years ago amid a sexual harassment scandal, was charged with one count each of perjury and obstruction of justice. An arraignment date had not yet been set.
Mapes could not immediately be reached. His attorneys, Andrew Porter and Katie Hill, issued an emailed statement Wednesday saying Mapes “testified truthfully in the grand jury.”
“His honest recollections -- in response to vague and imprecise questions about events that allegedly took place many years ago -- simply do not constitute perjury,” the statement read. “This case, of course, is not about him — but about the government’s continued pursuit of his former boss. Tim Mapes has in no way engaged in obstruction of justice, and looks forward to prevailing at trial when all of the facts are aired.”
The 11-page indictment alleged Mapes repeatedly lied during a March 31 appearance before the grand jury when asked about Madigan’s relationship with his longtime confidante Michael McClain, who as charged in November with orchestrating the ComEd bribery scheme.
He also lied when he said he had no knowledge that McClain had communicated with two unnamed state representatives in 2018 on behalf of Madigan, the indictment alleged.
Mapes lied to the panel even though he’d been granted immunity from prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and was told by the Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer that he must testify truthfully or possibly face criminal charges for perjury, according to the indictment.
UPDATE (5:18 P.M.):
From the U.S. Attorney’s office:
According to the indictment, the federal grand jury was investigating possible violations of federal criminal law, including efforts by the Illinois Speaker of the House and an individual acting on the Speaker’s behalf, to obtain for others private jobs, contracts, and monetary payments, including from Commonwealth Edison (“ComEd”), the largest electric utility in Illinois, to influence and reward the Speaker in the Speaker’s official capacity. On March 24, 2021, Mapes was granted immunity to testify before the grand jury. The immunity order provided that no testimony or evidence provided by Mapes could be used against him in a criminal case, except for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the immunity order.
On March 31, 2021, Mapes testified before the grand jury and knowingly made false material declarations in response to several questions about a consultant’s relationship with the Speaker from 2017 to 2019, the indictment states. Mapes in his testimony denied knowing that the consultant acted as an agent or performed work for the Speaker during those years, when, in fact, Mapes knew that the consultant carried out work and assignments on behalf of the Speaker and communicated messages on the Speaker’s behalf, the indictment states.
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Mapes is also credited with drawing much of the current legislative map, which was enacted in 2011. He did not return a text message from The Illinoize Wednesday.