With allegations of corruption at the highest levels of state government, the racketeering trial of former Democratic House Speaker Michael J. Madigan and his longtime confidant, ex-lobbyist Michael McClain, is certainly serious business. But as with any lengthy trial, particularly one chock-full of big personalities and scores of undercover wiretaps, there were plenty of funny and off-the-wall moments during the 16 weeks of proceedings. The amazing disappearance of Bob Rita.
State Rep. Shortly before Rita was to return the next morning, something was clearly amiss, with a lengthy delay and prosecutors and agents scrambling through documents and on cellphones. But Rita never returned, not that day or in the weeks that followed.
District Judge John Robert Blakey said. Rita, who does still in fact exist, has so far declined to comment on what happened. Win one for the Gipper? The Notre Dame factor. Q: How often has a major public corruption trial coincided with a national college football playoff where the alma mater of both the lead defendant and the judge advanced to the championship game? During exhaustive arguments over jury instructions in early January, attorneys had spent what seemed like an eternity discussing whether one small phrase amid the plus pages of instructions should be a single or double quote.
The jury also heard plenty about Notre Dame in testimony. During his testimony Jan. At the time, Notre Dame was considered the premier Catholic school. There was never any question in the house. A week after Madigan left the stand, it was time for the Big Game.
The judge was also asked if he was going to the game, but he said tickets were hard to come by — especially at his meager donation level. Pizza, wine and cream of broccoli soup? Secret recordings captured a lot about … food. Sure, the jury saw a lot of insider politicking going on in the wiretapped phone calls and undercover videos. The slice of life was played for jurors in an apparent attempt to reinforce that Madigan and McClain were unusually close — and to remind them that Madigan did not have his own cellphone.
