Metro East Sun

Opening statements commenced in the trial of former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza, accused of bribing former House Speaker Michael Madigan. Federal prosecutors stated that AT&T Illinois had sought Madigan’s support for a bill ending mandated landline service, but only secured it after La Schiazza agreed to pay thousands of dollars to a Madigan associate for a no-work contract.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is a case about a corporate executive paying off the most powerful politician in Illinois to help pass his company’s prized piece of legislation,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Mower said during his opening statement.

This trial is part of an extensive federal investigation into Madigan and his political operations, which led to the end of his tenure as House leader and head of the state Democratic Party. Although Madigan was not present in court, prosecutors displayed his driver's license photo while outlining his significant influence over the state legislature.

“That power was no secret — including to the defendant,” Mower said, highlighting emails where La Schiazza referred to Madigan as “King Madigan” and acknowledged that “Everyone in the system is beholden to the Speaker.”

Prosecutors detailed how Michael McClain, a close aide to Madigan, approached AT&T in early 2017 requesting money for Edward Acevedo, another Madigan ally. In response, La Schiazza directed his team to act swiftly. “Lets move quickly to get this done,” he wrote in an email shown by Mower.

In other news, the University of Illinois reported record enrollment figures for the 2024 fall term with 97,772 students across its campuses in Chicago, Springfield, and Urbana-Champaign. This marked a 3.2% increase from 2023. The Urbana-Champaign campus enrolled 9,008 freshmen this term with 71% hailing from Illinois.

Big Lots has filed for bankruptcy affecting its 29 stores in Illinois. Nine stores are set to close resulting in approximately 180 job losses statewide. Further closures may occur as part of ongoing reorganization efforts.

Illinois manufacturers are grappling with "stacked costs" which include regulatory requirements and litigation risks among other economic factors. These costs are leading to reduced output and layoffs within the sector. A recent visit by State Reps Martin McLaughlin and Tom Weber highlighted these challenges at HM Manufacturing in Wauconda.

The Peoria Riverfront Museum unveiled new display cases crafted by members of The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma last month during a special dedication ceremony. Chief Craig Harper emphasized the importance of preserving indigenous craftsmanship through these collaborations.

Finally, Illinois' apple orchards are offering seasonal family activities such as apple picking and hayrides across various locations including Royal Oak Farm Orchard in Harvard and Curtis Orchard and Pumpkin Patch in Champaign among others.