The second day of former state Rep. Edward Acevedo’s testimony in the corruption trial of Michael Madigan turned tense Tuesday from the moment a prosecutor said “Good morning.”
“Good morning. Can you hear me?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu asked Acevedo, a former Chicago police officer and one of Madigan’s leaders in the House of Representatives.
“Are you talking to me?” Acevedo asked.
“I am,” Bhachu shot back. “Did you bring your glasses today, sir?”
“I did,” Acevedo said.
“Congratulations.”
By reminding Acevedo of his failure to bring his glasses to court on Monday — which angered the judge — Bhachu set the tone for what would become a rapid series of questions about Acevedo’s memory and how his testimony came into play. Madigan’s trial differed from the judge’s. what he told a federal grand jury under oath two years ago.
Acevedo has now been diagnosed with dementia and a brain tumor, and his testimony will certainly be labeled as unreliable by the defense.
Acevedo, 61, a Chicago Democrat, is at the center of allegations that AT&T Illinois and Commonwealth Edison funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in do-nothing consulting contracts to Acevedo and other Madigan loyalists in exchange for the speaker’s help with legislation in Springfield.
Prosecutors allege Acevedo, 61, received a total of $142,500 from AT&T and ComEd after retiring from the Illinois House in 2017, even though he wasn’t expected to do much for the money.
On Tuesday, Bhachu asked Acevedo if he had told the FBI in September 2019 that Madigan’s lead attorney, Heather Weir Vaught, had called him a few weeks earlier and asked if he had an attorney.
Acevedo told Bhachu that he cannot remember who Weir Vaught is.
Bhachu also asked Acevedo about his grand jury testimony, in which he was asked whether he provided an oral report to AT&T government affairs officer Stephen Selcke after they hired him in 2017. His response then was, “I don’t remember.”
However, on Monday he told the jury that he had “verbally” told Selcke about the status of the Latino caucus in the Illinois General Assembly.
Bhachu also asked about another grand jury statement in which Acevedo said he had personally spoken to an AT&T lobbyist. About what? he was asked.
“I told you I talked to him about things happening in the Latino community,” Acevedo told the grand jury. He also told the grand jury that he had spoken to AT&T about donating to a scholarship fund for needy children.
Bhachu ended by asking about Acevedo’s sons, Michael and Alex, who, like Acevedo, were each convicted of tax charges as part of the Madigan investigation.
And you were angry about that too? asked Bhachu.
“Yes, any father would be,” Acevedo said.
Bhachu ended his line of questions after only about 20 minutes.
At the cross, Acevedo started sniffling when asked about his dementia and other problems, saying it pained him to remember his grandchildren’s names.
Acevedo testified in advance that he never asked anyone for a no-show job.
“Has AT&T ever offered you a no-show job?” asked Patrick Cotter, the attorney for Madigan’s co-defendant, Michael McClain.
“No,” Acevedo said.
Acevedo, who has numerous health problems, took the stand late Monday and maneuvered a walker right past Madigan at the defense table without appearing to look in the former speaker’s direction.
Prosecutors fought hard to get him in court. Acevedo initially invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify, but the U.S. attorney’s office was granted immunity that forced him to take the stand. He cannot be prosecuted for what he says under oath as long as his testimony is truthful according to the agreement.
Acevedo’s attorney Gabrielle Sansonetti then argued forcefully that Acevedo has been diagnosed with dementia and is incapable of testifying reliably. After extensive hearings last week, including an internal interview at Blakey in which Acevedo himself was questioned, the judge ruled that Acevedo could take the stand.
Acevedo, a Chicago Democrat, was expected to be one of the prosecution’s final witnesses against Madigan and McClain. Prosecutors could rest their case as early as Tuesday afternoon.
Acevedo, wearing a green zip-up sweater, answered questions directly Monday and mostly with one- or two-word answers. At one point, when asked to review the grand jury transcript, Acevedo said he couldn’t read it and had forgotten his glasses. He appeared to squint even after prosecutors enlarged the document on the screen.
He testified for less than half an hour before the trial was adjourned for the day and direct examination was to resume Tuesday morning. Before Acevedo left the stand, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey warned him and Sansonetti not to forget his glasses again or he could be held in contempt of court.
“I’ll buy him some glasses and bring them with me, your honor,” Sansonetti said as she helped Acevedo guide his walker to the courtroom door.
Acevedo’s testimony marks the first time he has taken the witness stand in a Madigan-related trial, despite being a central figure in all of the trials, including a number of unflattering comments in emails and wiretaps accusing him of boorish behavior and excessive drinking.
He has not been charged in Madigan’s case, but he pleaded guilty to related tax charges and was sentenced to six months in prison in 2022. His sons were also convicted of tax charges related to the money Acevedo raised through his consulting firm.
Near the end of his testimony Monday, Acevedo was asked about his conviction and whether he harbored any animosity toward the government over it.
“You were upset about being sued by the government, weren’t you?” asked Bhachu.
Acevedo replied, “Yes.”
Acevedo testified that as he neared retirement, he asked McClain to ask Madigan for help finding work as a lobbyist, and he met with the speaker several times about it. He said Madigan assured him he would help him get a job at AT&T or ComEd.
“I also asked anyone who would listen,” Acevedo said.
The jury previously saw a series of emails between AT&T executives detailing the attempt to get Acevedo some money as he left politics, a job largely handled by McClain, a lobbyist and the speaker’s longtime confidante.
The executives decided to add more money to the contract of one of their existing lobbyists, Tom Cullen, who agreed to act as a pass-through and pay Acevedo with the extra money he got from AT&T, according to testimony and evidence that was presented to the jury. .
Cullen, a former top aide to Madigan who turned to lobbying, testified last week that when AT&T officials told Acevedo their offer was $2,500 a month, Acevedo “got angry.”
After their meeting broke off without a decision, Acevedo called Cullen, frothing. “He told me he was worth more money and that AT&T was cheap and he used a few choice words and told me it wasn’t a fair deal,” Cullen said.
What exactly did he say? asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker.
“He said, ‘F––– AT&T, they can kiss my ass.’ Cullen testified.
On Monday, Acevedo told the jury he recalled meeting with Selcke and other AT&T representatives at then-state Rep. Lou Lang’s office in the Capitol and agreed he was unhappy with the $2,500 per month offer.
“I told them my frustrations that other people were getting paid much higher wages than I was,” Acevedo testified.
Bhachu did not ask Acevedo about his apparently vulgar comments to Cullen over the phone, but only asked if Acevedo ultimately accepted the terms.
“Yes sir, I did,” Acevedo said.
Madigan, 82, of Chicago, who spent decades as speaker of the Illinois House and head of the state Democratic Party, is charged with racketeering for running his state and political operations as a criminal enterprise.
Both Madigan and McClain, 77, a former ComEd contract lobbyist from upstate Quincy, have pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
