A key prosecution witness will return to the stand today in the racketeering trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Fidel Marquez testified for a fourth day yesterday, facing several hours of cross-examination from Michael McClain’s defense attorney. The ComEd executive wore a wire for the FBI. Madigan and McClain face charges accusing them of conspiring to participate in an array of bribery and extortion schemes.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is launching the first-ever Conviction Integrity Unit within his office. The unit is designed to evaluate the integrity of convictions throughout the state. The CIU will investigate claims of innocence to determine whether new evidence proves the innocence of individuals serving time for crimes they didn’t commit. The CIU’s mission is to independently review past convictions to ensure justice, and to right the wrongs of any wrongful convictions in Illinois.
Republican lawmakers are calling on Governor Pritzker to not raise taxes to fill a massive budget deficit. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget projected a more than three-billion-dollar budget gap for next year. Senate Republican leader John Curran of Downers Grove advised Pritzker to “sharpen your budget pencil and let’s get to work.” Curran added that its time for the governor to take a break from the national campaigns and start thinking of Illinois.
Def Leppard will performing at the Illinois State Fair next year. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will take the stage August 6th. The concert will include hits like “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “Photograph,” and “Love Bites.” The 2025 Illinois State Fair is being held August 7th through the 17th in Springfield.
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