Madigan's Former Chief Of Staff Lied To Grand Jury: Prosecutors

CHICAGO — Timothy Mapes, the 66-year-old former chief of staff to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Chicago Wednesday. Mapes is charged with making false statements and obstruction of justice, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, John R. Lausch.

According to prosecutors, Mapes knowingly made false statements before the grand jury about a consultant's relationship to his former boss. Mapes told investigators he didn't know the consultant, Michael McClain, worked for Mike Madigan, but prosecutors said that was a lie.

McClain was indicted in November for his involvement in an alleged bribery scheme involving Madigan and Illinois' largest electric company, Commonwealth Edison.

Mapes had been granted immunity to testify before the grand jury about an investigation into that scheme and alleged public corruption by the former Illinois Speaker of the House. Prosecutors said Mapes violated the immunity agreement by lying to the grand jury. The charges against him carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison for making false statements and up to 20 years for obstruction of justice.

RELATED: Madigan Chief Of Staff Ruled By Fear For Over 25 Years: Report

Mapes was ousted from his role as chief of staff in 2018 after multiple people accused him of sexual harassment and intimidation.

"Mr. Mapes commonly threatened people's jobs or reminded them that they were dispensable," according to an independent investigation into the claims. "People believed that Mr. Mapes attempted to motivate workers through fear ... Some people also raised the additional concern that, given Mr. Mapes's political ties, he could make or break their careers outside of the Speaker's Office as well."

RELATED: ComEd Bribed Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan: Prosecutors

ComEd was itself indicted last year after prosecutors said the company bribed Madigan in exchange for the lawmaker passing favorable legislation — for example, looser regulations that allowed them to charge customers more — and opposing legislation that would have hurt the company's bottom line.

The company admitted its wrongdoing and said it would cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for a deferred prosecution agreement.

Prosecutors said the company admitted to influencing and rewarding Madigan, beginning in 2011 and continuing through 2019, arranging jobs for political allies that included little or no work, appointing an individual to ComEd's board at Madigan's request, steering lucrative company contracts to a law firm associated with Madigan, and even granting internships to students from Madigan's ward in Chicago.

Madigan has not been charged with a crime, or even officially named in court documents, but prosecutors say their public corruption investigation remains ongoing.