MILLER: Madigan’s dealing with Solis could be the fed’s trump card

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s longtime law firm partner Vincent “Bud” Getzendanner testified in Madigan’s defense against numerous federal charges last week.

One of the main themes of Getzendanner’s testimony was the property tax firm’s process of weeding out clients and potential clients who could pose a conflict of interest to Madigan.

Getzendanner testified “there would be a meeting once or twice a year involving Madigan’s statehouse legal staff regarding Madigan & Getzendanner clients,” Sun-Times reporter Jon Seidel reported from the courtroom. Getzendanner would also periodically send the firm’s client list to some of Madigan’s Statehouse staffers so that they could check it against legislation that was currently before the Illinois House, Seidel noted.

The jury was also shown emails from Madigan’s legislative staffers to Getzendanner regarding inquiries about the firm’s clients, or whether some entities with issues before the legislature were clients.

“There was a constant back and forth between Mike’s legislative staff and the law office,” Getzendanner told jurors, according to Dave Byrnes with Courthouse News.

Getzendanner also testified that he had the final say about whether to bring in clients.

As an example, in a memo shown to jurors from Getzendanner to Madigan, Getzendanner wrote, “No file is accepted and opened until I do a review to determine if the firm’s representation would constitute a conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, with your legislative duties,” reported the Tribune’s Jason Meisner.

Jurors were shown a chart of Madigan clients with notations from various folks about potential conflicts. “Most entries on the chart say, ‘no conflict,’” reported Seidel. Madigan attorney Dan Collins highlighted one email that read, “possible appearance of conflict; principal owner of Walton is Neil Bluhm who is principal owner of Rivers Casino. Very thin connection, but err on side of caution.”

This thorough and nearly constant vetting process is why the people who thought they knew Madigan well firmly believed that he understood where the legal lines were and that he had never crossed them. Some still believe that’s true today.

Clients with land-transfer issues would definitely be screened out, Getzendanner testified, according to Seidel. “That’s a category where you absolutely could not take on a client.”

And yet, the prosecution has shown jurors evidence that Madigan did, indeed, work on legislation to help a real estate investor by trying to move a Chinatown land transfer bill through the House. The feds also presented evidence that allege a successful transfer would’ve resulted in legal business for Madigan & Getzendanner from that developer.

The deal was being put together by then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis, who became a mole for the FBI after being confronted with his own lawbreaking. As I’ve told you before, Madigan instructed Solis to reach out to Michael McClain to see if he could help. McClain was Madigan’s top advisor and the trial’s Madigan co-defendant.

Madigan later told Solis that he was considering approaching the Illinois Department of Transportation about the transfer, because the agency was an important part of the process. He then told Solis, “I’m trying to figure out a way to approach it,” suggesting that he was trying to help with the transfer while avoiding leaving his fingerprints.

Madigan suggested at one point that McClain talk to a Senator, then received a briefing from McClain about legislators who were opposing the bill.

At one point, Solis told Madigan that if the House Speaker could “take care” of that Chinatown transfer by the end of spring session, “I’m confident they’ll appreciate it and … sign you up on after May,” as their property tax attorney.

OK, wait a second. Didn’t Getzendanner testify under oath that he had the final say in taking on new clients and that there was no way a client with a land transfer bill would ever be accepted? And wasn’t there a massive and ongoing client vetting process?

It doesn’t matter to the feds. Policies can be changed, after all. And they have enough recordings to suggest Madigan was pushing the bill and was being told he’d get a new client out of it.

“One of my regrets is that I had any time spent with Danny Solis,” Madigan told jurors, according to the Sun-Times.

The trial is wrapping up as I write this. But whatever happens, Madigan should’ve known better than to have ever worked with Solis. He brought all this on himself.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.