CHICAGO — A former Chicago alderman reportedly made secret audio recordings of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan.
The Chicago Tribune reports that former 25th Ward Ald. Danny Solis secretly recorded Madigan on a number of occasions.
Solis is said to be cooperating with the Feds on a wide-ranging corruption probe.
WGN Political analyst Paul Lisnek says the news is a political bombshell. According to the Tribune, Solis had mad multiple audio and video recordings of the Madigan, the longest serving Speaker of the House in the country until he was forced to step aside.
Madigan has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing, but the 79-year-old political power broker appears to be a target for the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Some of the secret recordings reportedly took place at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. According to the Tribune, part of the focus during those conversations involve a Chinatown property, and a deal to build a parking garage.
Madigan’s private law firm specializes in real estate transactions. One of the many questions being raised by these new allegations has to do with a possible conflict of interest.
The latest revelations, in addition to a wide ranging investigation into a ComEd bribery scheme, hanging over Madigan like a dark cloud.
Former Madigan Chief of Staff Tim Mapes and Michael McClain, a close political advisor, already face federal corruption charges.