Tim Mapes, former Michael Madigan chief of staff, goes on trial Monday for perjury over these seven alleged lies

Tim Mapes, who was indicted former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s chief of staff, is headed to trial, accused of lying to a federal grand jury.

His lawyers say he testified truthfully for hours on March 31, 2021, in response to questions from prosecutors who asked more than 650 questions.

Now, he faces what’s expected to be a three-week trial largely revolving around what prosecutors say were seven lies — all related to Madigan and Michael McClain, a onetime lobbyist and longtime Madigan friend.

If convicted of perjury, Mapes could face up to five years in prison.

Here are the key questions Mapes was asked and what prosecutors say were the false answers he gave.

Question No. 1

Question: OK. Did [McClain], after he retired, kind of give you any insight into what his interactions with [Madigan] were that you weren’t privy to personally?

Mapes: No, that wouldn’t — that wouldn’t happen.

Question No. 2

Q: OK. And [McClain] didn’t — wouldn’t tell you what he was discussing with [Madigan] or anything that he was doing on behalf of [Madigan] in that ‘17, ‘18 and ‘19 timeframe?

Mapes: No.

Question No. 3

Q: Do you have any knowledge about whether or not [McClain] performed any sort of tasks or assignments for [Madigan] in [the] 2017 to 2018 timeframe at all?

Mapes: I don’t recall any.

Question No. 4

Q: Do you have any reason to think [McClain] was acting as an agent for [Madigan] after he retired in 2016, that is, doing work for him or carrying out assignments for him?

Mapes: I’m not aware of any. I’m not aware of that activity. Let’s put it that way.

Question No. 5

Q: All these questions are going to be for the 2017 through 2019 time frame. Do you recall anyone ever describing any work — anyone at all describing any work or assignments [McClain] was performing on [Madigan’s] behalf?

Mapes: I don’t recall that — that I would have been part of any of that dialogue. I don’t know why I would be.

Q: The answer is yes or no to that question. Do you recall?

Mapes: No, I don’t recall any of that.

Question No. 6

Q: So one of the things we were trying to figure out, Mr. Mapes, is whether or not — kind of a key issue for us is whether or not [McClain] acted as an agent for [Madigan] in any respect, including that timeframe. We’re talking about the 2017, 2018, 2019 timeframe. Are you aware of any facts that would help us understand whether or not, in fact, [McClain] acted as an agent or performed work for [Madigan] or took direction from [Madigan] in that timeframe?

Mapes: I don’t know who you would go to other than [Madigan] and [McClain]. [Madigan], if he had people do things for him like I did things for him, was — didn’t distribute information freely.

Question No. 7:

Q: Let’s talk about 2017/2018 to the present. Do you know [McClain] to have acted in any capacity as a messenger for [Madigan] to convey messages to and from him?

Mapes: I’m not aware of any.

Attempted obstruction of justice

Mapes also faces a second charge, attempted obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. That count accuses him of testifying falsely about these 14 topics: 

• Whether McClain told Mapes about McClain’s communications with Madigan between 2017 and 2019.
• Whether Mapes knew McClain carried out work and assignments from and on behalf of Madigan between 2017 and 2019.
• Whether Mapes knew McClain had taken or intended to take action on Madigan’s behalf between 2017 and 2019.
• Whether McClain told Mapes about McClain’s work assigned by and on behalf of Madigan between 2017 and 2019. 
• Whether Mapes knew McClain received messages from Madigan and communicated messages on Madigan’s behalf between 2017 and 2019.
• Whether McClain told Mapes about messages that McClain received or communicated on Madigan’s behalf between 2017 and 2019. 
• Whether Mapes knew McClain communicated with then-state Rep. Lou Lang in 2018, including communications at the direction of Madigan.
• Whether McClain told Mapes about McClain’s communications with Lang in 2018, including communications at the direction of Madigan.
• Whether Mapes knew McClain communicated with state Rep. Bob Rita in 2018, including communications at the direction of Madigan.
• Whether McClain told Mapes about McClain’s communications with Rita in 2018, including communications at the direction of Madigan.
• Whether Madigan gave any messages for Mapes to pass to McClain between 2017 and 2018.
• Whether McClain told Mapes about McClain’s communications with members of Madigan’s staff between 2017 and 2019.
• Whether McClain told Mapes about any work he did for clients after McClain’s retirement.
• Whether Mapes had any knowledge of Madigan’s impressions of then-ComEd CEO Joe Dominguez.