CHICAGO — The hotly anticipated cross-examination of ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan kicked off Monday with a sledgehammer of a wiretap: Audio of a 2018 phone call in which Madigan and his co-defendant Michael McClain chuckle about how some ComEd ...

Cheronis, who's defended alleged racketeers and international spies to movie moguls accused of sexual assault and a witness in the Madigan trial, Lou Lang, said putting Madigan on the stand is a risk. "You didn't have an idea that your precinct captain wasn't doing a lick of work for ComEd? Is that your testimony?" prosecutor Amarjeet Bhachu said.

CHICAGO — Former Speaker of the Illinois House Michael Madigan faced his toughest test since deciding to take the stand in his public corruption trial. On Monday, prosecutors finally got their chance to cross-examine the 82-year-old who is charged with bribery, racketeering, wire fraud, official misconduct and other crimes.